Project Grant H79FG000843

SPECIALIZED OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS - THE WOODS SERVICES SPECIALIZED MENTAL HEALTH OUTPATIENT PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY AND MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS (MHOP) IS LOCATED IN BUCKS COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, AND HAS BEEN LAUNCHED IN RESPONSE TO THE IDENTIFIED NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THIS POPULATION, WHICH NUMBERS MORE THAN 2,000 WITHIN THE COUNTY. THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT ARE TO REDUCE WAIT TIMES FOR PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES, MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, AND THERAPY, AND TO REDUCE UNNECESSARY USE OF THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND OTHER CRISIS SERVICES. INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY AND/OR AUTISM (ID/A) EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT HEALTH DISPARITIES, ARE NOT CONSISTENTLY FACTORED INTO PUBLIC HEALTH PLANNING, AND DO NOT HAVE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE, SPECIFICALLY TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. THIS PROGRAM WILL ADDRESS A CRITICAL GAP IN SERVICES IN BUCKS COUNTY FOR 200 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY WHO HAVE A DIAGNOSIS OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY, AUTISM AND CO-OCCURRING MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. THESE INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCE MONTHS-LONG WAIT TIMES FOR PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES, INCLUDING MEDICATION ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT. MHOP WILL PROVIDE INDIVIDUAL, GROUP AND FAMILY THERAPY, PARENT EDUCATION AND MEDICATION MANAGEMENT, ALONG WITH MOBILE CRISIS SERVICES AND TELEHEALTH FOR INDIVIDUALS OVER AGE SIX WHO HAVE A DIAGNOSIS OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY OR AUTISM AND WHO ARE EXPERIENCING MENTAL HEALTH OR BEHAVIOR CHALLENGES. PARTICIPANTS WILL BE REFERRED TO THE MEDICAL CENTER AT WOODS FOR INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE IF THEY DO NOT HAVE A PRIMARY CARE PROVIDER. MANY INDIVIDUALS WITH A DUAL DIAGNOSIS HAVE CYCLED IN AND OUT OF CRISIS SERVICES, PSYCHIATRIC INPATIENT SERVICES, AND RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT SETTINGS, AND HAVE EXPERIENCED SIGNIFICANT TRAUMA. THE SPECIALIZED MENTAL HEALTH OUTPATIENT PROGRAM WILL BUILD AND EXPAND THE CAPACITY OF THE MENTAL HEALTH NETWORK OF SERVICES IN BUCKS COUNTY TO SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY AND OTHER COMPLEX NEEDS, SO THAT THEY CAN LIVE AS INDEPENDENTLY AS POSSIBLE IN THE COMMUNITY SETTING OF THEIR CHOICE. WOODS' POPULATION HEALTH APPROACH TO INTEGRATED CARE ADDRESSES MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH AND THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH.