Transformation

National Council Selects 10 Groups for New Co-Occurring Disorder Learning Community

Pathways Community Behavioral Healthcare of Missouri selected to participate.

Washington, DC, (November 8, 2011)—The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, in partnership with MTM Services and Hazelden, has selected 10 community behavioral health organizations to participate in its new Co-Occurring Disorder Learning Community. This initiative will enable participating organizations to enhance their ability to provide effective integrated and comprehensive care to individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

DMH/Transformation Release Housing Toolkit

 A toolkit to provide housing resources and information for agencies that serve people with mental disabilities has been completed and is now available on line. The compilation of the Housing Toolkit, funded under Missouri's Mental Health Transformation initiative, was completed as the product of a contract with Places for People -- a St. Louis agency recognized as a leader in providing housing for people with mental illnesses --  and led by its now former executive director, Francie Broderick.

According to Broderick, the document "is not meant to be an exhaustive or complete list of all mental health supported housing or residential programs in Missouri. Rather, I have attempted to describe different models and different approaches used by providers across the state."

TWG releases White Paper on Evidence-Based Practices

The final report of the Evidence-Based Practice workgroup chartered by the Transformation Working Group is now available on line.The report, submitted to the TWG in the form of a white paper, provides a definition of Evidence Based Practice derived from scientific method, and a suggested  "ruler" for determining whether particular mental health services are evidence based.

The TWG encourages state departments that offer mental health services to use the report to strengthen their evidence-based principles, practices, and policies. For additional information on the workgroup's objectives and activities, go to http://missouridmh.typepad.com/transformation/evidence-based-practices-group.html.

Supported Housing Summit scheduled for Sept. 7-8

 

The Missouri Department of Mental Health Housing Unit and the Missouri Housing Development Commission, in cooperation with the Office of Mental Health Transformation, is sponsoring a Housing Summit September 7 and 8, 2011, at the Capitol Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Jefferson City.

The purpose of the summit is to facilitate the planning, development, and management of special needs and supportive housing in Missouri.

"We know that adequate housing and meaningful employment are at the heart of recovery for persons with mental health and addiction challenges," said Virginia Selleck, Ph.D., Missouri Mental Health Transformation project director. "Having a place to call home is a critical part of every person's life, including the people we serve in the mental health community. A discussion of this important issue with input from all involved -- from developers to clinicians to consumers of mental health services -- can only help to improve the quality of life for us all."

Their is no cost to attend,but space is limited, so early registration is recommended. Expenses for lodging and incidentals are the responsibility of attendees. Lunch will be provided on Sept. 7 and breakfast on Sept. 8. All other meals are the responsibility of the attendees. For more information, including registration forms for individuals and exhibitors, visit the Missouri Housing Summit web page. For more information on housing in general, visit the Department of Mental Health Housing Unit Web site.

DMH Advisory Council chooses model for Peer Specialist training and certification

The Department of Mental Health's (DMH) Division of Comprehensive Psychiatric Services, on behalf of its State Advisory Council, has researched and chosen a Peer Specialist training and certification model.  Based on the Council recommendations, the Division adopted the Appalachian Consulting Group “Georgia Model” for Peer Specialist training. The Division and the Office of Transformation are committed to following through on the Council recommendations to move the mental health system to a wellness model that empowers individuals to establish their personal mental health goals and manage both their mental health and their plan of care through education and supports.

Healthy IDEAS milestone reached: eight certified as instructors

In an effort to combat depression in older adults, Missouri has implemented an evidence-based  depression screening, education, and intervention initiative called Healthy IDEAS (Identifying Depression, Empowering Activities for Seniors). Six sites across the state are using Healthy IDEAS in their programming that serve elders.

On February 24, 2011, the Healthy IDEAS initiative in Missouri accomplished a major milestone.  Clinical coaches working with each of the Healthy IDEAS teams took part in a webinar conducted by the initiative's national training team. The purpose of the webinar was to train the participants as instructors for the two-day case manager training that is a key part of Healthy IDEAS. Upon completion of the webinar, each of the participants became certified Healthy IDEAS instructors.

Employment of persons with mental illness is focus of project

Recognizing that employment is a key element in recovery from mental illness, Missouri’s Transformation Initiative is supporting a program that combats the myth that people with mental illnesses cannot succeed in meaningful work.

As one of 12 states participating in the Johnson & Johnson – Dartmouth Community Mental Health Program, Missouri is helping to demonstrate the feasibility of implementing evidence-based supported employment for people with severe mental illnesses. “While working is not the only role for adults in our society, it is clearly very important,” says Tish Thomas, state supported-employment trainer. “It is each person’s choice whether or not he or she would like to pursue work, but mental health centers should make it possible for the people they serve to have a job if it is their choice.”

Housing toolkit to offer hope for "a place to call home" to people in recovery

During Transformation's final grant year, a major focus is being placed on housing and employment as two critical elements essential to recovery from mental illness or substance abuse, as well as for quality of life for persons living with developmental disabilities.

A recently awarded contract to develop a housing toolkit is expected to lay the groundwork to help mental health service providers add housing assistance to their treatment plans. "A home and a job are huge contributions to the recovery process," according to Missouri's Transformation project director Virginia Selleck, Ph.D. "Treatment providers are generally not in the housing business, so we want to give them a tool that will be flexible for each region and that outlines the steps to take and the resources available to help consumers achieve adequate housing."

What is a Peer Specialist?

Missouri's Peer Specialist movement, in which people in recovery from a mental illness are trained to work in treatment centers to assist their peers in the recovery process, has grown significantly since the first training held in September 2008. Since that time, six trainings have occurred with 157 consumers completing the five-day training. Of that  number, 90 have completed and passed the final exam, certifying them to work with other consumers.

Certified peer specialist Sarah Earll provides a brief overview of the role of peer specialists in the latest video on the Office of Transformation's YouTube channel. View the video and then learn more about the peer specialist movement at www.peerspecialist.org.

This video was taped during a break in the Real Voices, Real Choices Consumer, Family and Youth conference held August 22-24 at Tan-Tar-A Resort in Osage Beach, Mo.

Tri-County shows leadership in Mental Health Transformation

Tri-County Mental Health Services, a treatment center serving the Kansas City Northland community, has taken hold of Transformative initiatives for the betterment of the people they serve. In February, the agency was one of eight selected as a Community of Hope contractor to develop mental health and wellness plans based on local needs. Two years ago, in response to a report that persons with mental illnesses die 25 years earlier than the general population, Tri-County added a nurse to its clinical staff to provide proactive health care.

Now the agency has added an employment component to its list of services. Tri-County has adopted an employment strategy developed by a partnership between the Johnson & Johnson Corporation and Dartmouth College. The mission of the Johnson & Johnson - Dartmouth Community Mental Health Program is to increase access to evidence-based supported employment for adults with serious mental illnesses who are interested in improving their work lives. This national program systematically works with states to implement supported employment following this evidence-based guidelines, initially in a small number of sites (typically 3-4 community mental health centers) and expanding statewide over time. As of March of this year, 12 states and the District of Columbia are participants. To read more about Tri-County and the employment project, click here.