Project Grant H79SM088563

HEALTHY TRANSITIONS: ROAD TO SUCCESS - PROJECT ABSTRACT SUMMARY PACT FOR FAMILIES COLLABORATIVE, A 30-YEAR, FIVE COUNTY CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES ORGANIZATION SERVING RURAL MN PROPOSES ROAD TO SUCCESS TO EXPAND SUPPORT TO YOUTH AGES 16-25 WHO HAVE EMERGING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, OR ARE AT RISK FOR SED/SMI DIAGNOSES, AND THEIR PARENTS BY UTILIZING THE TRANSITION TO INDEPENDENCE PLANNING (TIP) MODEL AND COLLABORATING WITH KEY COMMUNITY, MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS AND POLICY MAKERS. ROAD TO SUCCESS WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO 110 UNDUPLICATED YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE FIVE-YEAR PROJECT TERM. WITH MUCH TO SET UP IN THE FIRST YEAR, AN ESTIMATED 10 UNDUPLICATED YOUTH WILL BE SERVED IN YEAR ONE WITH 25 UNDUPLICATED YOUTH SERVED PER YEAR IN YEARS TWO THROUGH FIVE. PROJECT STAFF AND COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS WILL DEVELOP EARLY IDENTIFICATION PROTOCOL, PROVIDE EARLY INTERVENTION TO PREVENT EMERGING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES FROM PROGRESSING TO SED/SMI DIAGNOSES. PROJECT STAFF WILL ASSIST YOUTH IN DEVELOPING GREATER SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SKILLS TO ENHANCE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND INDEPENDENCE WHILE EMPHASIZING THE ROLE OF PARENTS/GUARDIANS IN GUIDING AND SUPPORTING THEIR YOUTH THROUGH THE TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD. USING THE TIP MODEL, VROON MIIWRAP WRAPAROUND, CHARTING A LIFECOURSETM, AND QPR MODELS OF INTERVENTION, THE PROJECT WILL EMPLOY IN-VIVO COACHING THROUGHOUT FIVE DOMAINS INCLUDING EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION, HOUSING, LIFE SKILLS AND WELLNESS TO ENHANCE THE TARGET YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT POPULATION'S COPING SKILLS AND EFFECTIVELY PREPARE THEM FOR TRANSITION. ENSURING THESE YOUTH RECEIVE WRAPAROUND SUPPORT, ROAD TO SUCCESS FOCUSES ON ENHANCING THE SKILLS AND CAPACITIES OF PARENTS TO SUPPORT THEIR YOUTH/YOUNG ADULTS THROUGH ONE-TO-ONE SUPPORT, EDUCATION, AND RESOURCE NAVIGATION. ROAD TO SUCCESS PROPOSES TO SERVE 300 PARENTS/GUARDIANS OVER THE FIVE YEARS THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR SERIES, ONE TO ONE SUPPORT SESSIONS, COMMUNITY OUTREACH THROUGH CORRESPONDENCE AND SOCIAL MEDIA, AND BY FACILITATING PARENT NETWORKING GROUPS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. WE WILL TEACH OUR PARTICIPANTS WHERE RESOURCES CAN BE SHARED AMONGST PARENTS, PROVIDERS, STAFF, AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ADDITIONALLY, THIS PROPOSAL ESTABLISHES A MULTIAGENCY ADVISORY COUNCIL WITHIN SIX MONTHS TO OPERATE OVER THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD AS A STEERING COMMITTEE FOCUSED ON COLLECTING DATA AND THEN PROPOSING STRATEGY TO ADDRESS SERVICE DELIVERY GAPS, FUNDING SHORTFALLS, AND INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE PROJECT'S MODEL INTO THE STRUCTURE OF THE COUNTIES' SOCIAL SERVICES NETWORKS. PUTTING SUSTAINABILITY AT THE HEART OF THIS PROJECT REINFORCES PACT'S COMMITMENT TO CHANGING THE SYSTEM OF CARE AS IT EXISTS TODAY, THEREBY DEMONSTRATING TO RURAL MINNESOTA COMMUNITIES HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT THIS VULNERABLE POPULATION. ROAD TO SUCCESS REPRESENTS A SHIFT IN SERVICE DELIVERY AND WRAPAROUND SUPPORT THAT WILL DECREASE SED/SMI DIAGNOSES BY INCREASING THE RESILIENCE OF OUR TARGETED RURAL YOUTH, NURTURING MORE DURABLE PARENT-CHILD BONDS, AND SWAYING COMMUNITIES TO ADOPT SIMILAR SYSTEMS OF CARE. THIS WILL CULMINATE IN THEIR RECOGNITION OF THE VALUE OF INVESTING RESOURCES INTO ADDRESSING THIS PARTICULAR LIFE TRANSITION POINT TO ENHANCE THE SUPPORT NETWORK, TRANSFORM THE CURRENT SERVICE SYSTEM MODEL, AND SUSTAIN THESE SYSTEMS CHANGES INDEFINITELY.