Arbor circle youth, young adult, and family engagement team (YYA-FET) serving west michigan. - arbor circle's youth and young adult-family engagement team (YYA-FET) project will expand access to…

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded Arbor Circle Corporation $3.192 million under the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Projects of Regional and National Significance program on September 30, 2025, for a Youth, Young Adult, and Family Engagement Team (YYA-FET) project serving Kent County, Michigan.

Arbor Circle will expand access to trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate care for youth ages 12–17 and young adults ages 18–25 with substance use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions, along with their families. The program integrates clinical treatment, peer support, and case management delivered through specialized teams. Arbor Circle will hire a dedicated peer recovery coach to provide outreach and brief interventions; restructure internal capacity to create specialized substance use and co-occurring mental health treatment teams; train all staff in family treatment practices and evidence-based practices within three months; and enroll 25 participants in year one and 80 in each subsequent year. The program targets 85 percent of families to meaningfully engage in treatment. Performance occurs in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with a period of performance from September 30, 2025, through September 29, 2030.

Arbor circle youth, young adult, and family engagement team (YYA-FET) serving west michigan. - arbor circle's youth and young adult-family engagement team (YYA-FET) project will expand access to flexible, developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed care for youth and young adults with substance use (SUD) and CO-occurring mental health conditions (COD) and their families in kent county, michigan. Through specialized teams and approaches integrating clinical treatment, peer support, and case management, YYA-FET will improve health outcomes and recovery engagement for youth (ages 12-17) and young adults (ages 18-25), while actively engaging and supporting their families throughout care. Goal 1: expand SUD/COD treatment capacity for YYA in the service area 1. Within 3 months, hire a dedicated peer recovery coach to provide outreach, engagement, brief interventions and education. 2. Within 3 months, transition intake/case assignment workflow and processes to identify project youth, young adults and families. 3. Within 6 months, restructure internal capacity to create specialized COD teams for youth and young adults. 4. Enroll 25 individuals in year 1 and 80 participants in each subsequent year. Goal 2: enhance family treatment approaches among YYA and their families 1. Within 3 months, train 100% of staff in family treatment practices. 2. Within 3 months, expand screening to include participating family members. 3. Conduct 2 focus groups per year. 4. 85% of families will meaningfully engage in treatment. Goal 3: provide comprehensive training for SUD/COD treatment for YYA within the service area 1. Train 100% of staff in evidence based practices by 3 months. 2. Within 3 months, develop comprehensive training plan incorporating evidence-based practices, age-specific trainings (including family intervention), and cross training for providers treating clients in this age group for mental illness. 3. Within 6 months the 2 specialized SUD/COD treatment teams will implement monthly huddles to discuss treatment successes, challenges, strategies. 4. Provide 2 ancillary training opportunities per year. Goal 4: expand outreach and awareness of the program to maximize referrals and meet targets 1. Within 3 months obtain a MOA from as you are (AYA) youth collective and west michigan partnership for children. 2. Provide updates and outreach at the substance abuse prevention council in kent county once per quarter to keep group members informed and increase referrals to the project. 3. Conduct 4 outreach activities in the community per year. 4. Provide monthly social media messaging across several digital platforms. Goal 5: improve participant well-being 1. 75% of participants that complete treatment will report increased protective factors as measured by the brief addiction monitoring tool (BAM). 2. 75% of participants that complete treatment will report reduction in substance use (measured by BAM). 3. 60% of participants that complete treatment will report increased stability across one or more life domains. 4. 75% of participants that complete treatment will report improved family relationships.