Project Grant H79FG000987

MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS TO INCREASE CLINIC CAPACITY - THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO EXPAND THE CAPACITY OF (BROCKTON) FAMILY AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES' (FCR) LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC TO ADDRESS A CRITICAL COMMUNITY ISSUE. THERE IS A TREMENDOUS NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND FCR SEEKS TO DOUBLE THE CAPACITY OF ITS THERAPY SERVICES (CURRENTLY AT 3 FTE'S) TO MEET THE MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND ADULTS. BECAUSE BROCKTON IS A MAJORITY MINORITY CITY THE PROBLEM IS FURTHER DEFINED THAT EXPANDED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ADDRESS THE NEED FOR MULTI-LINGUAL CLINICIANS. FCR IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT HAS PROVIDED SERVICES TO THE GREATER BROCKTON COMMUNITY FOR OVER 50 YEARS. FCR'S MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC WAS LICENSED BY THE MA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH IN 1977. IT SPECIALIZES IN SERVING VICTIMS OF TRAUMA, WITH A FOCUS ON SERVING SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT. IF FUNDED, A TOTAL OF THREE THERAPISTS WILL BE HIRED--A CHILD THERAPIST, A THERAPIST WHO SERVES ADOLESCENTS, AND AN ADULT THERAPIST. IT IS EXPECTED THAT EACH OF THESE THERAPISTS WILL SERVE BETWEEN 30 AND 40 UNIQUE CLIENTS EACH YEAR, WITH A ONGOING CASELOAD OF 15-20 INDIVIDUALS. ONCE EACH THERAPIST HAS A YEAR TO ESTABLISH HIS/HER PRACTICE WITHIN FCR, THIRD PARTY BILLING WILL BE SUFFICIENTLY ROBUST TO SUSTAIN EACH POSITION. THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE HAS BEEN WELL DOCUMENTED. THE PROGRESS OF CLIENTS SERVED WILL BE EVALUATED ON AN ONGOING BASIS. THE OVERALL GOALS OF THE PROJECT ARE TO INCREASE THE WELL- BEING OF INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY IN THE GREATER BROCKTON COMMUNITY TO SERVE INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS.