Project Grant H79SM088414

SAFE HAVEN - YOUTH FOCUS'S SAFE HAVEN PROJECT WILL PROVIDE TRAUMA-INFORMED COMMUNITY-BASED OUTPATIENT COUNSELING SERVICES FOR 500 YOUTH WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR AT IMMINENT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS AND WHO ARE DIAGNOSED WITH A SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS (SMI), SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE (SED), OR CO-OCCURRING DISORDER (SMI AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER [SUD] OR SED AND SUD) BETWEEN THE AGE OF 11 AND 24 OVER THE FIVE-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD. PROJECT SERVICES WILL BE PROVIDED IN GUILFORD COUNTY, NC. THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO MAKE MENTAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESS, WHO ARE UNINSURED OR UNDER-INSURE, AND ARE MEMBERS OF HISTORICALLY RACIALLY AND SOCIOECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES. BASED ON HISTORICAL DATA, IT IS EXPECTED THAT OVER HALF OF THE CHILDREN SERVED THROUGH THIS PROJECT WILL BE MINORITIES AND ALMOST A THIRD WILL HAVE TRAUMA AS A PRIMARY MENTAL HEALTH DIAGNOSIS. OVER 95% OF THE YOUTH SERVED THROUGH THIS PROJECT ARE EXPERIENCING POVERTY. BECAUSE OF THE PREVALENCE OF TRAUMA IN THE POPULATION SERVED, OUTPATIENT COUNSELING SERVICES UTILIZE EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT INTERVENTIONS SUCH AS COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY AND TRAUMA-FOCUSED COGNITIVE BEHAVIOR THERAPY. THROUGH ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH ALEXANDER YOUTH NETWORK, SEVEN CHALLENGES IS UTILIZED AS THE MODEL FOR DELIVERY OF OUTPATIENT SUBSTANCE USE TREATMENT SERVICES. IN ADDITION TO MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, THIS PROJECT WILL ENSURE YOUTH ENROLLED IN THE PROJECT RECEIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, ARE LINKED WITH MAINSTREAM BENEFITS, AND ARE GIVEN PEER SUPPORT AS THEY ESTABLISH THEIR ABILITY TO LIVE INDEPENDENTLY AND MAINTAIN PERMANENT HOUSING AFTER LEAVING THE PROGRAM. PROJECT GOALS INCLUDE: 1. INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY OF COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT FOR YOUTH AGES 11-24 IN GUILFORD COUNTY, NC WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR AT IMMINENT RISK OF EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. 2. IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR YOUTH IN VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. 3. ENSURE YOUTH RECEIVE SERVICES THAT SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE PERMANENT HOUSING WHICH INCLUDES SAFE AND STABLE HOUSING, CASE MANAGEMENT, LINKAGE WITH MAINSTREAM BENEFITS, PEER SUPPORT, AND OTHER SUCH NEEDED SERVICES. 4. DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT OUTREACH AND REFERRAL PATHWAYS THAT ENGAGE/TARGET ALL DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS REPRESENTATIVE OF YOUR COMMUNITY. THESE GOALS WILL BE ACHIEVED THROUGH THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: OBJECTIVE 1A: BY THE END OF YEAR 5, THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE TRAUMA-INFORMED MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT SERVICES TO A TOTAL OF 500 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS, AGE 11-24, WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS OR AT IMMINENT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS. OBJECTIVE 1B: THROUGHOUT THE 5-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD, 100% OF YOUTH WILL BE OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE TREATMENT THROUGH TELE-HEALTH TO INCREASE ACCESSIBILITY AND ENGAGEMENT FOR THOSE THAT NEED THIS SERVICE. OBJECTIVE 2: 80% OF THE CLIENTS WHO RECEIVE OUTPATIENT COUNSELING SERVICES WILL SHOW IMPROVEMENT IN THEIR MENTAL HEALTH/WELL-BEING AS INDICATED BY HIGHER COMPOSITE SCORES ON MENTAL HEALTH SURVEY WHEN COMPARING PRE AND POST TREATMENT SCORES. OBJECTIVE 3A: 100% OF YOUTH SERVED IN THE PROJECT WILL RECEIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES AS INDICATED BY THEIR INDIVIDUALIZED SERVICE PLAN. OBJECTIVE 3B: 30 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS/YEAR (150 OVER THE 5-YEAR GRANT PERIOD) SERVED THROUGH THE PROJECT WILL BE NEWLY ENROLLED IN MAINSTREAM BENEFITS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO MEDICAID. OBJECTIVE 3C: 90% OF YOUTH WILL EXIT THE PROJECT TO SAFE, APPROPRIATE, AND STABLE HOUSING. OBJECTIVE 4A: 100 COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS/OUTREACH EVENTS WILL BE CONDUCTED EACH YEAR (500 ACROSS THE ENTIRE PROJECT) IN ALL GUILFORD COUNTY SCHOOLS AND OTHER YOUTH-SERVING LOCATIONS TO EDUCATE YOUTH ABOUT THE SAFE PLACE PROGRAM AND HOW TO ACCESS RESOURCES IF THEY OR A FRIEND EXPERIENCE HOMELESSNESS OR ARE AT IMMINENT RISK OF HOMELESSNESS.