Project Grant H79SM085672

POST PANDEMIC RESTORATION AND SERVICE EXPANSION INITIATIVE - BHCARE'S POST PANDEMIC RESTORATION AND SERVICE EXPANSION INITIATIVE WILL ADDRESS THREE PROBLEMS - THE CUTBACK OF IN PERSON MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AT A TIME WHEN MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY, THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS, AND THE NEED TO ANSWER MORE, AND MORE SEVERE CRISIS CALLS. THE INITIATIVE WILL RESTORE OPEN ACCESS AND INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT SERVICE, ADD EVENING/WEEKEND HOURS, INTRODUCE IN-SCHOOL GROUPS TO SUPPORT CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS, AND STRENGTHEN CRISIS SERVICES. POPULATIONS SERVED: BHCARE SERVES 11 TOWNS IN NEW HAVEN COUNTY, CONNECTICUT, OPERATIONS FROM TWO ADULT CLINICS IN THE TOWNS OF ANSONIA AND BRANFORD AND ONE CHILD/ADOLESCENT CLINIC IN DERBY. THE CATCHMENT AREA IS DIVERSE, RANGING FROM SMALL RURAL COMMUNITIES TO LARGER TOWNS, INCLUDING TOWNS WITH VARYING PROPORTIONS OF RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITIES AND LOW INCOME POPULATIONS. THE PROJECT'S FOCUS IS ON TOWNS WITH THE HIGHEST RATES OF SMI, SED, AND COD (ANSONIA, EAST HAVEN, BRANFORD AND DERBY), SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN AND THEIR PARENTS IN THE ANSONIA SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND CLIENTS IN CRISIS. TAKEN TOGETHER, THE POPULATIONS FOR THESE FOUR TOWNS ARE 28% MINORITY, 25% LOW INCOME, AND 10% BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY THRESHOLD. THE ANSONIA SCHOOL DISTRICT IS 44% HISPANIC, 29% WHITE, 19% BLACK, 8% OTHER CATEGORIES. MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF THE STUDENT BODY QUALIFY FOR THE NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH PROGRAM, A PROXY FOR LOW INCOME. CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS: RATES OF ADMISSION TO STATE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS IN ANSONIA EAST HAVEN, BRANFORD, AND DERBY EXCEED THE STATE AVERAGES BY 92%, 33%, 27% AND 11%, RESPECTIVELY. ANSONIA SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS APPEALED TO US TO SERVE AT-RISK STUDENTS. THEIR PRE-PANDEMIC RATES OF CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT, JUVENILE ARREST, CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM, AND SUSPENSIONS/EXPULSIONS EXCEEDED RATES BY 50%, 53%, 330% AND 357%, RESPECTIVELY. PROPOSED PROJECT: WE PROJECT THAT 314 CLIENTS SERVED UNDER THESE INITIATIVES WILL AGREE TO PARTICIPATE IN A NOMS INTERVIEW AND TIS BE COUNTED UNDER THE GRANT IN YEAR 1, AD 336 IN YEAR 2, FOR A PROJECT TOTAL OF 650. UNDER GOAL 1, WE RESTORE OPEN ACCESS TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS IN ALL THREE CLINICS, EXTENDING ADULT OPEN ACCESS TO SATURDAY FOR THE FIRST TIME. GOAL 1 TARGETS ARE 235 ADULTS AND 19 CHILDREN IN EACH YEAR. UNDER GOAL 2, WE WILL RESTORE ADULT INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT PROGRAMMING (IOP) MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND ADD AN ADULT GROUP THERAPY. THE IOP TARGET IS 315, BUT WE EXPECT ALL BUT 10 NOMS INTAKES TO BE RECORDED UNDER GOAL1. TARGET FOR ADULT THERAPY IS 5 EACH YEAR. UNDER GOAL 3, STAFF CAPACITY OF CHILD CLINIC IS ENHANCED TO HANDLE INCREASED CLIENT VOLUME. OUR TARGET IS 13 CLIENTS EACH YEAR. UNDER GOAL 4, WE ENHANCE STAFF WELLNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH AND AVOID BURNOUT BY THROUGH 20 ACTIVITIES PER YEAR, AND STRENGTHEN TELEHEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE. UNDER GOAL 5, WE (A) INTRODUCE GROUP INTERVENTIONS FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS, PROJECTING 14 IN YEAR 1 AND 32 IN YEAR 2, AND (B) INTRODUCE PARENTING GROUPS TO SUPPORT PARENTS OF STRUGGLING CHILDREN, PROJECTING 7MIN YEAR 1 AND 11 IN YEAR 2. UNDER GOAL 5, WE STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF ADULT AND CHILD CLINICS TO SERVE CLIENTS IN CRISIS. WE PROJECT THE 10 CLIENTS SERVED UNDER THIS PROJECT WILL CONSENT TO A NOMS INTERVIEW EACH YEAR.