Targeted capacity expansion for youth and young adults with CO-occurring disorders - youth eastside services' (yes) targeted capacity expansion: special project proposes to serve youth and young…

Targeted capacity expansion for youth and young adults with CO-occurring disorders - youth eastside services' (yes) targeted capacity expansion: special project proposes to serve youth and young adults ages 12 to 22 with CO-occurring substance use and mental disorders (COD) in east king county, washington. Yes' project will assess 150 young people annually for the presence of COD, to total 450 by the end of the three-year project period. Yes will enroll 50 clients with COD annually, to total 150 enrolled over the three-year project. Participants will receive evidence-based, integrated CO-occurring treatment from licensed mental health therapists dually certified as chemical dependency professionals, using a treatment team approach. The goals of the project are to increase early identification of COD among youth and young adults ages 12 to 22 in east king county; increase access to evidence-based treatment; and implement strategies to engage youth in care. Adolescents and young adults in behavioral health services have a very high prevalence of COD, higher than in adult populations. If left untreated, young people with COD face serious life challenges, including poor academic performance, school dropout, unemployment, incarceration, self-harming behaviors and suicide. King county's department of department of community and human services, behavioral health and recovery division has identified adolescents and young adults as the top priority population to focus on reducing substance use and increasing outpatient substance use disorder treatment. Yes' project activities include assessing young people for COD; developing client-centered treatment plans; and providing evidence-based individual and group therapies, recovery support, and psychiatric services, as needed and appropriate. The project increases access to outpatient services among young people with COD by providing walk-in services and direct referrals from two school districts participating in this project. A case manager is part of the treatment team, to support engagement in treatment among clients. Yes is a state-licensed community mental health center and state-certified outpatient chemical dependency treatment program in east king county, WA, providing services for children and youth from birth to age 22, and their families, regardless of the ability to pay.