Helping individuals recover from the mental health impacts of the pandemic will address a GAP in treatment and recovery services for adolescents (aged 12-17) and adults (age 18+) with serious mental…

Helping individuals recover from the mental health impacts of the pandemic will address a GAP in treatment and recovery services for adolescents (aged 12-17) and adults (age 18+) with serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, or CO-occurring SMI/SED and substance use disorders with a focus on people from economically disadvantaged and marginalized communities in four counties in western washington: clark, grays harbor, skagit, & whatcom. The goal is to increase lifeline connections' capacity to provide timely access to in-person, socially distanced, and virtual intensive treatment programs to address the mental health impacts of the pandemic and worsening of pre-existing MH conditions for low-income adolescents and adults with SMI/SED/COD, as well as cmhc staff. Services will be delivered in outpatient and community-based settings. The measurable objectives are 1) by january 2022 hire 5 FTE outreach & engagement peer specialists (culturally-competent) to engage with lgbtq+, hispanic/latino, and chronically homeless communities; 2) by the end of each project year, increase by 5% the number of individuals with SMI/SED/COD served; 3) by the end of each project year, increase by 10% the number of individuals with SMI/SED/COD who are employed with business ventures; 4) by the end of each project year, 80% of individuals served in SMI/SED/COD services will show improvements in housing stability, employment status, social connectedness, and/or abstinence from alcohol/drugs; 5) by the end of each project year, 75% of participating staff will report the employee wellness program made a positive difference in their mental health and well-being. To achieve these goals and objectives, the project will: strengthen telehealth capabilities and security; hire 3 FTE mental health professionals for the rural areas of grays harbor, skagit, and whatcom counties; hire 5 FTE culturally competent outreach & engagement peer specialists to establish and strengthen referral pathways for vulnerable communities and keep clients engaged with services; provide in-depth trainings for clinical staff and peers in the areas of trauma, grief, and isolation as well as cultural competency in serving diverse populations; reinstate case management services at the drop-in recovery resource center; expand supported employment opportunities for individuals with SMI/SED/COD; and provide transportation services and other individualized supports to help clients overcome barriers to treatment. The project will also offer youth mental health first aid training in area schools; expand the agency's employee wellness program; hire a bilingual centralized scheduling specialist for timely and equitable access to services; and hire an intern & practicum supervisor to oversee relationships with higher education institutions and build a pipeline of interns and future mental health workers. The project will serve 1,279 clients in year one and 1,343 in year two for a total of 2,622 unduplicated individuals. The project will also support the mental well-being of up to 300 cmhc staff.