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Places for People's "Hope and Healing for Post-Pandemic Recovery and Resilience" will promote the health and well-being of persons with behavioral health concerns that have either emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic or who have had existing behavioral health conditions amplified during the pandemic. We will serve persons experiencing substance use disorders (SUD) and co-occurring disorders (COD), adults with serious mental illness (SMI), and youth with severe emotional disturbances (SED) in St. Louis City and St. Louis County, Missouri. We will focus enrollment on those who are uninsured, underserved, and who lack access to mental health treatment in our region. Places for People will serve 600 unduplicated people- 250 in year one and 350 in year two. We will also implement activities to help support staff, addressing their mental health needs related to the fears, anxieties, and losses from the pandemic. We intend to achieve the following program goals: 1) Increase access to EBPs for persons with behavioral health concerns by providing Integrated Family Treatment and Incredible Years/Dina School to at least 50 children and their parents; Serving 250 people involved in the criminal justice system through Critical Time Intervention or forensic ACT; Delivering therapies and psychopharmacological outpatient services to 300 clients, including cognitive behavioral therapies, community reinforcement approach, and seeking safety; and providing psychiatric rehabilitation services (e.g., ITCD, IPS, IMR) to 50 high-need adults with SMI or COD. 2) Strengthen agency infrastructure to provide HIPAA compliant telehealth services to increase access and availability of services, including the purchase of a HIPAA compliant texting platform and training staff to utilize this service. 3) Enhance staff well-being through organizational supports and evidence-informed intervention including Burnout Reduction: Enhanced Awareness, Tools, Handouts, and Education; Appreciative Inquiry to identify organizational factors related to employee wellness and service excellence; And a systematic assessment of overall organizational cultural competence, using the Multiculturally Competent Service System Assessment Guide and the Iowa Cultural Understanding Assessment-Client Form. 4) Support recovery and improve psychosocial functioning of persons served as evidenced by a reduction in the severity of mental health symptoms as indicated by the DSM-5 cross-cutting symptom measure and NOMS indicator for serious psychological distress; Reduction in the severity of substance use, as indicated by the decreased frequency of use measured in the cross-cutting symptom measure for DSM-5 and the Substance Abuse Treatment Engagement Scale; And strengthened social and personal relationships, as indicated by increases in social support in the NOMS collected at reassessment interviews.

The Texas Panhandle Centers CMHC grant will help to restore services significantly impacted by the COVID pandemic, and to sustain operations as TPC continues to adapt our services to effectively meet the mental health needs of the individuals we serve for the next two years. This includes improvements to our telehealth systems, sustaining our crisis response capacity and facilitating access to comprehensive outpatient services, particularly to those living in rural areas. TPC's CMHC Grant funding will target a POF of adults with serious mental illnesses (SMI) and co-occurring disorders (COD) in the entire 21-county catchment area, but will primarily dedicate project resources to accessibility of services for those living in the more rural and frontier 19 counties of TPC's geographic catchment area, who currently have little or no access to treatment services, including a significant Spanish-speaking population. During the two project years, we will serve 300 each year for a total of 600 unduplicated individuals and achieve the following goals: (1) Strengthen the infrastructure required to provide audio and audio-visual telehealth services using HIPAA compliant applications; (2) Sustain the capacity of the crisis respite and recovery program to serve as a diversion from emergency departments and incarceration and increase clinical and recovery support services provided in that setting; (3) Develop transportation services to facilitate access to the crisis respite center from remote regions of the service area; (4) Assess the most effective service delivery for outpatient and intensive services using in-person and/or telehealth methods; and (5) Increase access to an enhanced Employee Assistance Program and implement an agency-wide Work and Well-Being Community of Practice.

Populations to be served: The specific target population for this funding opportunity includes persons, both adult and adolescent, living within Kosciusko and Allen counties in Indiana 1) at risk for serious emotional disturbance (SED), serious mental illness (SMI) and SMI or SED and substance use disorders, referred to as co-occurring disorder (COD) living within the identified counties above and 2) diagnosed with SED, SMI, or COD living within the identified counties above. Strategies/Interventions: Bowen Center will utilize the FY 2021 CMHC grant to support and restore the delivery of clinical services in Kosciusko County and Allen County in Indiana that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and effectively address the needs of individuals with SED, SMI, and COD. Bowen Center will utilize the following evidence-based practices during the project: Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Matrix Model, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Critical Incident Stress Management, CARE Parenting and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Project Goals and Measurable Objectives: 1. By the end of project year two, Bowen Center will have increased the number of adult and pediatric patients receiving MRO skills services in the identified counties of focus by 400 patients. 2. By the end of project year two, Bowen Center will have increased the number of adult and pediatric patients receiving care for SED, SMI and COD in the Amish population by 50 clients. 3. By the end of project year two, Bowen Center will have increased the number of adult and pediatric patients receiving care for SED, SMI and COD in the Burmese population by 50 clients. 4. By the end of project year two, Bowen Center will have increased the number of elderly, homebound patients receiving care through Health Portal for SMI, SED and COD by 100 clients. 5. By the end of project year one, Bowen Center will have increased the number of patients receiving care for SED, SMI and COD by 50 clients within the Enchanted Hills Community/Neighborhood, specific to northern Kosciusko county. 6. By the end of project year two, Bowen Center will have increased the number of patients receiving care through a mobile unit at Enchanted Hills by 50 clients. 7. Total people to be served by end of project is 400.

Lakewood Covid Response Project will provide adults with serious mental illness, and co-occurring disorders, as well as youth with serious emotional disorders with a community based, comprehensive behavioral health service array to address to the negative effects of the pandemic. People of Orthodox Jewish/Hasidic Faith constitute about 74% of the geographic area's (Lakewood Township) population. Families are large and economically disadvantaged with 24.2% living below the poverty line and 53% below below 200% of poverty. 83% of Lakewood Township is White; 13% are Latino; 3% are African American; 1% are Asian; 48% of the population are under the age of 18. Clinical characteristics include a significant increase in anxiety and depression since COVID-19, external stress caused by COVID-related job loss, isolation, homelessness, and family strain and anti-Semitic incidents (up 18% since COVID). Project strategies and interventions include hiring clinical staff including psychiatric, provision of evidence based practices in schools and community, marketing, outreach and cross system partnership development, provision of staff supports to address compassion fatigue, and enhancements to Lakewood's crisis response system. Goal 1: Restore the delivery of clinical services impacted by the pandemic. OBJ.1.A.: Multipronged marketing and outreach campaign to 16,000 households. OBJ.1B: Enhance referral networks generating at least 100 referrals. OBJ.1C: Conduct virtual treatment to 300 individuals.OBJ.1D: Hire psychiatric staff to treat 100 individuals. OBJ.1E.: Reduce service wait list by at least 50% OBJ.1.F.:Overcome transportation barrier by providing 800 taxi rides. Goal 2: Provide behavioral health services to students. OBJ.2A: Provide 4 trainings to 100 school staff on early signs of mental illness, SUD, and wellness. OBJ.2B.: Train 10 clinicians to deliver school based early intervention and clinical treatment in at least 10 schools with total enrollment of 8,982. Goal 3: Provide evidence-based treatments and supports to address pandemic effects. OBJ3A: Train 60 people in the mental health and related workforce in EBPS: Motivational Interviewing (MI), Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), CBT, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). OBJ3B: Provide care management to support 75 families experiencing COVID-19 related job loss, homelessness, death, prolonged illness and/or marital or family strain. OBJ3C Hire 5 part-time providers of psych rehab and peer supports to support recovery for 50 individuals. Goal 4: To provide resources and supports to address covid related compassion fatigue, and burnout. OBJ4A: 40 clinicians attend behavioral health conference OBJ4B: Implement activities to promote self-care for mental health staff Goal 5: To promote alternatives to hospitalization for individuals in crisis. OBJ5A: Provide training to 120 first responders on how to access local mental health and substance use providers. OBJ5B: Offer crisis diversion services. A total of 800 individuals will be served by the grant (400 in Year 1 and 400 in Year 2).

The overarching goal of the Child Focus (CF) Strengthening the Behavioral Health Workforce (SBHW) proposal is to increase the service capacity and access to clinical treatment and recovery support throughout Southwest Ohio, a designated BH workforce shortage area, by increasing the qualified workforce to meet the needs of the minority populations and economically disadvantaged individuals in our service area that have not been achieved during the pandemic. CF will create a pipeline of qualified providers including Case Managers, Mental Health Specialists, Therapists, Nurses and Psychiatrists to serve individuals with SED/SMI/COD through vocational school and post-secondary education partnerships that will build our workforce infrastructure, increase the diversity and cultural competence of the workforce and restore and expand mental health and substance use services for underserved BH workforce shortage areas where it is hard to hire and retain clinicians.? Several barriers to an adequate Behavioral Health (BH) workforce supply exist, including an aging workforce, a lack of next generation employees interested in pursuing careers in behavioral health-related fields and the difficulty in retaining staff. These challenges are further complicated by a need to ensure that the mix of professionals is appropriate to achieve the best possible behavioral health service outcomes. Child Focus proposes to serve 800 total individuals over two years with serious and persistent mental illness, substance use disorders, co-occurring disorders and children/youth with serious emotional disturbance, serving 400 in the first year and 400 in the second year in Hamilton (urban), Clermont (suburban) and Brown (rural) counties in southwest Ohio. CF is well-positioned as a reputable provider and has the experience, expertise, collaborations and facilities to serve as the hub for clinical services and coordination of care. With the implementation of SBHW, CF has the opportunity to 1) replenish designated BH workforce shortage areas, 2) restore and realign staff to meet the growing need as the surge in behavioral health services continues post-pandemic and improve the quality of services by enhancing staff hiring, training, wellness and retention, and expanding evidence-based practice, telehealth and community-based services. Activities to improve population health care outcomes include reducing client hospitalizations/ER visits and client problem severity, increasing access to evidence-based, client-centered and trauma-informed treatment BH services, improving client functioning and increasing the retention, training, self-care and cultural diversity of the BH workforce.

Jefferson Center proposes to strengthen the delivery of mental health services in the northwest Denver area (Jefferson, Gilpin, Clear Creek counties) through direct services as well as indirect support for Center operations and staff wellness. Through CMHC funding Jefferson Center will support enhanced clinical coordination in its new phase-based care clinic; support co-responder services with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; provide case management services for Medicare-only clients; and support the return to home-based delivery of Trauma Systems Therapy for children and families. Additionally the Center will support the ongoing costs associated with telehealth communication (including both the platforms and adjacent security programming) and support staff mental health wellness through self-care activities for all employees Center-wide. Programming has been chosen in order to mitigate services that are unbillable or do not have a payer source (e.g. case management for Medicare-only clients) and with funding will enhance and increase access to services for clients seeking care.

The Mental Health Association of Westchester will provide neighborhood-based, in-home, and in-community services for underserved individuals in Rockland and Westchester counties in New York by creating mobile and home-based services. We intend to serve 500 unduplicated individuals per year, including enrolling 400 individuals into care through BH mobile units and providing Functional Family Therapy in the community for an additional 100 individuals per year. Other project goals include screening previously unserved individuals for BH needs and deploying two customized BH mobile units within four months of award. Our population of focus includes individuals adversely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and specifically targets poor neighborhoods and communities impacted by racial bias and social injustice, where there is little access to care. Our population of focus includes adults, children, adolescents, transitional-aged youth, and families. We will target individuals who are often left underserved because they either lack access to insurance, have limited means of transportation, speak a language other than English or are unable to reliably access telehealth services due to a lack of internet or cellular service. We will provide in-person family and individual therapy using strategies such as Functional Family Therapy (FFT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Seeking Safety (SS) for suicide prevention. Services provided in the mobile unit will include family and individual therapy, substance use disorder treatment, and telehealth services. In-home FFT services will also be provided. We look to serve individuals who have not yet been screened for behavioral health need due to a lack of access; individuals who have a diagnosis of Serious Mental Illness (SMI) or Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED); and individuals with a diagnosis of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) or who have a Co-Occurring Disorder (COD). Our goal is to provide high-quality, evidence-based care directly to our targeted population by bringing the care to them and by targeting specific neighborhoods, allowing us to serve previously unreached communities. We will expand our use of FFT services by expanding our ability to provide in-home, family-trained therapists. This dynamic model also allows us to create access to telehealth services for these communities by providing such access through the BH?mobile?units. Finally, the BH mobile units will be equipped with two therapy rooms and a modified living room concept for de-escalation of crises or pre-contemplative services. Staffed by clinicians and peer specialists, staff will also use the telehealth technology to access psychiatry or other services.

Lubbock Regional MHMR Center dba StarCare Specialty Health System (StarCare) will support and restore the delivery of services impacted by COVID-19 - outpatient psychiatric services, the Mobile Crisis Outreach Team (MCOT), and the Extended Observation Unit (EOU). Services will be provided to 500 unduplicated individuals in the Texas counties of Cochran, Crosby, Hockley, Lubbock, and Lynn for each year of the grant for a total of 1,000 unduplicated individuals receiving CMHC services over the lifetime of the grant. The target population for these services are individuals with serious emotional disturbances (SED), serious mental illness (SMI), and individuals with SED or SMI and substance use disorders, known as co-occurring disorders (COD). StarCare has the responsibility for the development, management, and oversight of a system of care serving approximately 14,000 individuals annually. StarCare’s service area has an average poverty rate of 17.9% which is higher than the state average of 13.6%. Sixteen percent are without health insurance. Of the approximately 14,000 people with SED, SMI, and/or COD who receive services through StarCare, 78% are female and 22% are male. Approximately 24% report their ethnicity as African American, 25% Latinx, and 50% Caucasian. Fifty-nine percent are between the ages of 19 and 64. As of May 3, 2021, there have been a total of 48,956 cases of COVID-19 in Lubbock County (population 310,569) with 156 active cases and 725 deaths. With a total population of 40,373, the other four counties served by StarCare have reported 4,393 cases and 169 deaths combined. Goal 1: Maintain and sustain care coordination services provided to people with SMI, SED, and COD who have accessed crisis services through the EOU to help them engage in ongoing outpatient services. Care coordinators will assist 150 individuals screened through the EOU gain access to outpatient care for each year of the grant. Goal 2: Maintain and sustain 24/7 walk-in crisis assessment and stabilization services provided to individuals experiencing a mental health crisis through the EOU. The EOU will provide these services to 500 unduplicated individuals for each year of the grant. Goal 3: Increase outpatient psychiatric clinic capacity by 200 slots to provide outpatient psychiatric care and medication management for individuals with SMI, SED, and COD. These added slots are intended for consumers who have accessed crisis services (EOU) but who do not have a resource to pay for ongoing care. Goal 4: Enhance existing aftercare services through benefits assistance. StarCare will hire a Benefits Coordinator to provide benefits assistance and/or benefits reinstatement for 100% of the individuals accessing crisis services in need of ongoing care and for individuals in need of benefits reinstatement upon release from incarceration or hospitalization. Benefits staff will screen 100% of the individuals discharging from the EOU for Medicaid eligibility.

The Guidance Center of Westchester (TGCW) proposes to develop Project CREATE (COVID Recovery, Equity, and Training Excellence) to serve 200 individuals with serious emotional disturbances (SED), serious mental illnesses (SMI), and co-occurring disorders (COD) who are living in Westchester County over the 2-year grant-funded program (100 each year). We will prioritize services for racial/ethnic minority populations of all ages, children and youth, and the historically underserved communities of Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and New Rochelle. We will engage individuals using a combination of community and clinic-based services and supports provided in Westchester County's hardest-hit communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting a no wrong door approach to care. Given the disproportionate and expansive impact of COVID-19 on our target communities, Westchester County - specifically Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and New Rochelle - is experiencing a behavioral health (BH) crisis that our system needs significant support to effectively address. Through Project CREATE, TGCW will bolster and expand our existing clinical and wraparound services in order to meet the needs of individuals with SED, SMI, and COD of all ages in Westchester County. In addition, Project CREATE will provide training and mental health support to 34 staff members working in TGCW's Certified Community Behavioral Health Center (CCBHC) program, which is inclusive of our community and school-based clinic sites, in order to address their secondary trauma and build resiliency so that they can continue to serve our communities. We will seek to accomplish the following goals: 1. Address the BH and trauma needs of children with SED and their families in order to prevent adverse outcomes as they move into adulthood. 2. Provide BH treatment and recovery supports for individuals with SMI, COD, and SED in Westchester County, promoting access for communities experiencing both BH and pandemic stresses. 3. Strengthen and support TGCW's workforce so they can continue to support our communities.

Ocean Mental Health Services (OceanMHS) proposes to support and restore the delivery of clinical services that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and effectively address the needs of individuals with serious emotional disturbances (SED), serious mental illness (SMI) and individuals with SMI or SED and substance use disorders (COD). OceanMHS proposes to address the unmet behavioral and mental health needs of children and adolescents with SMI, SED and COD, adults with SMIE, SED and COD, and adults with SMI, SED and COD who interact with the legal and justice system. OceanMHS plans to deliver this care by providing timely access to and availability of early intervention services and provide immediate support and assistance to those with new or worsening behavioral health needs related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Services will be available in person or via telehealth. OceanMHS plans to increase our already robust telehealth and telemedicine services to ensure the needs of all community residents can be met efficiently, effectively and competently. OceanMHS will be providing early intervention and outpatient services for community residents via community outreach. Adults with SMI, SED and COD will be engaged in the community and through the criminal justice and legal system to ensure vulnerable populations are gaining access to care. All services provided from a trauma informed care perspective. OceanMHS will be expanding our Justice Services programming and Children and Families Outpatient programming to meet the growing demand for outpatient services. Justice Services seeks to engage community residents who interact with the justice and legal system who demonstrate a need for behavioral health support and access to care. Justice Services provides clinical assessment, case management services and psychosocial rehabilitation. OceanMHS’ children and family outpatient department will seek to establish the Child and Family Enrichment Center (CAPES). CAPES will provide individual, family and group therapy to youth struggling with emerging educational difficulties such as school refusal, poor grades, inadequate social skills and negative self-esteem. CAPES supports their mental health and education needs by providing a safe, nurturing environment where they can receive assessment, treatment and fulfill in or out of school suspension/detention. OceanMHS will address develop and provide resources to address the mental health needs of CMHC staff by ensuring adequate infrastructure development and support for the services to be provided which will ensure a manageable distribution of workload. Additionally, OceanMHS will seek to hire an employment specialist who will focus on staff retention and staff recruitment. Through this role, OceanMHS expects dedication to understanding and developing the resources needed to ensure CMHC staff job satisfaction and reduction in job burn out.

Branch County Community Mental Health Authority, DBA Pines Behavioral Health (PBH) proposes a two year funding to implement the "Branch County Restoring Mental Wellness" project to meet the gaps and unmet needs of Branch County residents with a serious mental illness (SMI), Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED), and Co-Occurring MH/SUD Disorder (COD) who have been impacted by Covid-19. Priority gaps include staffing to addressed the increased use in COD, increased need for crisis intervention, the need for evidence based prevention and treatment models, increased psychiatric care, and self-care/resiliency training for employees. PBH intends to expand, enhance, and reduce significant gaps through best practice protocols and treatments to all residents with an SMI, SED, and COD condition. Branch County has a population of 43,417 and a demographic profile of 90.4% Caucasian, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 2.3% African American, 1.2% two or more races,.4% Asian, and .4% Native American. In regards to gender, 52.7% identify as male and 47.3% identify as female. The increase in service request since the start of the pandemic has exceeded the capacity of staff in the county's only public mental health system, and has resulted in increased crisis, inpatient hospitalization, and court ordered treatment. PBH will provide enhanced SMI/SED/COD services to persons in the county anticipating the following: 400 individuals served in year one, 400 individuals served in year two, and 800 unduplicated individuals over the 2-year project. In addition, support for staff will be provided through trainings on resiliency and self-care. Strategies/Interventions include increasing the capacity of staff to meet the increased needs, improved competency in the use of evidence based treatment and strengthened crisis response, and partnering with law enforcement and schools in providing specialized services and supports. PBH intends to achieve the following goals upon receipt of SAMHSA CMHC funding: Goal 1: Increase the capacity of well-trained staff to deliver SMI/SED/COD treatment to Branch County residents. Objectives: Expand staff capacity and provide training to staff for a healthy workforce. Goal 2: Deliver effective evidence based practices to the SMI/SED/COD population impacted by the pandemic. Objectives: Train on, and monitor the effectiveness of increased evidence based interventions. Goal 3: Increase the capacity to respond to crisis intervention, stabilization, and diversion from inpatient/incarceration. Objectives: Increase service capacity across the agency, in the community, and in the child's home and learning environment.

The Bellefaire JCB and Applewood Centers, Inc. CMHC partnership will increase capacity and access to behavioral health services in three counties in northeast Ohio—Cuyahoga, Lorain, and Medina—and target children and youth, ages 12 to 22, with serious emotional disturbances (SED), serious mental illnesses (SMI) and co-occurring substance use disorders (COD) and their families, including justice involved youth, youth in custody, and moderate developmental delays. This partnership will serve 500 individual clients annually and 1,000 over the course of the project. Addressing all mental health diagnoses yet specifically targeting the dramatic upward trend in depression and anxiety in this cohort as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this partnership will deploy group and individual in-person and telehealth services in schools and in community-based outpatient settings so as to ameliorate the behavioral health challenges that have reached critical proportions. Included in this project will be compassion fatigue interventions for providers so as to ensure their wellbeing and ability to sustain exceptional service provision throughout the life of the project. To accomplish the goal of successfully reducing symptoms and substance use, evidence-based practices (EBPs) will be mobilized to achieve project goals and measurable objectives. Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Adolescents and Interpersonal Psychotherapy-Adolescent Skills Training will address depression diagnoses; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy will address anxiety; and Motivational Interviewing overlay therapeutic interventions to address co-occurring substance use disorders. With the goal of increasing SMI, SED, and COD prevention and treatment capacities in the catchment area achieving the measurable objective of 75% of youth served showing improved outcomes as a result of program participation and treatment delivery this partnership will draw from a staff complement of over 80 full- and part-time Master’s level, licensed therapists to deliver group and individual services across 166 schools in the catchment area along with one-on-one, individualized, family centered, strength based treatment in community- and office-based settings and via telehealth. With the goal of providing trauma-informed screening, assessment, diagnosis, patient-centered treatment planning, and clinical and recovery support services, intake and case management and care coordination teams will use Vroon Vandenberg High Fidelity Wraparound so as to ensure services are patient centered, culturally competent, strength based, and that clinical and recovery support services are in place as youth step down from services.

CHCS will open a planned Eastside Mental Health Clinic, bringing critical care to San Antonio East/Northeast quadrant. COVID-19 forced CHCS to postpone this resource expansion, triggering a 172.1% increase in crisis events; the pandemic also overwhelmed clinical and direct care staff, worsening an already critical staffing shortage. CHCS will use CMHC funding to fast-track the Clinic openings and strengthen staff supports in order to retain our vital providers. Project Name. Community Mental Health Center/Eastside Mental Health Clinic Population to Be Served. Economically disadvantaged children with serious emotional disturbance (SED) or co-occurring disorders (COD) and adults with serious mental illness (SMI) or COD living in East or Northeast San Antonio. Most all (90%) will be persons of color and low-income. Strategies and Interventions. CHCS is strengthening its mental health continuum in an effort to meet a larger share of consumer needs. Among CHCS centerpiece strategies was the planned 2021 opening of the Eastside Mental Health Clinic, bringing critical care to adults living in the East and Northeast quadrant. However, as the impact of the pandemic escalated, revenue dropped and costs increased, causing CHCS to place a hold on plans to open the Eastside Clinic. As a result, adults in this area must continue to travel out of area (up to 15 miles away) for care. Stepped up outreach strategies targeting this quadrant and designed to find and connect to care children and youth with SED and COD and adults with SMI or COD have similarly stalled. With the CMHC grant, CHCS will remedy these predominant, COVID-related barriers to care for adults and children, and will strengthen staff supports to ensure this vital resource remains continuously available. Goals and Objectives. This initiative has two goals: 1) to provide easily accessed care to children with SED or COD and adults with SMI or COD living in the East/Northeast quadrant; and 2) to build organizational capacity to ensure the continuous provision of highest quality services from the new Eastside Mental Health Clinic. Among the enabling objectives are: a) opening the Eastside Clinic; b) conducting extensive outreach to connect children and adults to in-area care resources; c) developing a well-defined monitoring and compliance framework and using standardized CQI processes to maintain and improve performance; d) using program data to inform operations; and e) providing continuous support to staff to reduce burn-out and support retention. Number to Be Served. The program will serve 500 consumers in both Years 1 and 2, or a total of 1,000 consumers over two years.

Santa Cruz Behavioral Health services endeavors to launch "Healing the Streets." The project provides direct services including medication management, peer support services, and case management to our most vulnerable population, those experiencing SMI, SED, COD, and homelessness. The project is strengthened by a committed partnership with Santa Cruz County's Homeless Person's Health Project (FQHC) and Housing for Health divisions. We will focus services within the geographic region of the cities of Santa Cruz and Watsonville, both areas with data supporting high concentrations of people experiencing behavioral health challenges and homelessness. Field-based community services will be enhanced with a mobile health clinic. Both settings will ensure privacy and confidentiality for those served. Services will utilize a Trauma Informed Care and Harm Reduction model using evidenced-based practices including Critical Time Intervention, Motivational Interviewing, and Intentional Peer support. Goals for the project duration intend to: 1) Provide direct, integrated services and establish stable ongoing connection to health, behavioral health, housing providers for our target population of people who are experiencing homelessness, SMI, SED, and COD in the Cities of Santa Cruz and Watsonville, and 2) Strengthen safety net infrastructure and develop seamless and universal pathways into care. This project is unique in that it seeks to bring together systems of health care with a focused goal of serving our County's most vulnerable experiencing SMI, SED, COD, and homelessness. Leadership from our Behavioral Health, Homeless Person's Health Project, and Housing for Health divisions brings decades of experience developing programs and services to meet the needs of our target population. Together, we will be able to weave a safety net of integrated care. The project will serve no les than 300 participants annually during each year of the two-year funding period.

The CrossWinds FY 2021 CMHC Grant project will serve adults with serious mental illness, children with serious emotional disturbance and those adults and children with a co-occurring substance use disorder. The project is focused on meeting unmet demand within the seven east central Kansas counties served by CrossWinds, including Chase, Coffey, Greenwood, Lyon, Morris, Osage and Wabaunsee and improving access for the Hispanic and Agricultural populations. The goal of the program is to increase access to services through applying same day access practices, increasing capacity to meet unmet need, improving cultural awareness and sensitivity. While the activities of this project will impact most individuals receiving behavioral health services from CrossWinds, it is targeted to specifically serve 200 individuals in year one and 300 individuals in year two, for a total, unduplicated count of 500 individuals over the life of the project. Meeting the increased demand for services will require maintaining adequate staffing in a health professional shortage area. One key aspect of this is staff retention. The past 15 months have presented significant challenges for the staff. This project will include additional training relative to telehealth, surviving COVID-19 and self-wellness. Staff will also receive training in cultural awareness and trauma informed care. CrossWinds will recruit and hire Spanish speaking staff to serve the Hispanic population. Additionally, CrossWinds will develop Spanish language, culturally tuned marketing and outreach materials to help break down barriers to access. A separate office location will be established to provide a culturally comfortable environment for services. To assist in improving access for the Hispanic population as well as the Agricultural population in this largely rural geographic area, CrossWinds will purchase and convert an RV into a mobile clinic.

Seven Counties Services (SCS) “Community Mental Health Center Expansion Program” will build on existing services that SCS provides and meet community needs by improving access to/quality of evidenced-based community behavioral health in Jefferson, Oldham, Bullitt, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble and Henry counties in the state of Kentucky. SCS is a well-established trauma informed CMHC, providing services to nearly 34,000 individuals per year. Through this expansion, SCS will serve at least 1000 unduplicated individuals (Y1: 500; Y2: 500), including adults with serious mental illness (SMI), children/adolescents with serious emotional disturbance (SED) and those with co-occurring disorders (COD), including substance and opioid use disorders (SUD/OUD). SCS’ catchment area is home to over 1M people, or 23% of the state’s total population, and the location of some of the most densely populated and diverse regions in the state, including the city of Louisville. The entire catchment area is comprised of 49% male, 51% female, 77% white, 18% African American, and 5% Hispanic/Latino individuals. Approximately 14% live below the poverty line and 10% lack a high school diploma/equivalent. Within the catchment area, 22% of adults experience any mental illness, 14% of children ages 2-17 have an emotional/behavioral/developmental condition(s), and 8% of adults and 4% of adolescents 12-17 have SUD. Kentucky ranked comparatively higher than other states in the rates of adults suffering from any mental illness (32nd), including those with substance use disorder and suicidal ideation, and equally low in terms of access to care for those individuals (31st). COVID-19 has exasperated this disparity and caused an increase in the overall demand for mental health services in the region. Without access to coordinated, whole person care options, the population is vulnerable to poor outcomes, at risk for higher rates of mortality, suicide, substance abuse, hospitalization, incarceration, and homelessness. SCS will provide an array of integrated services/interventions, including crisis care; complete mental health screening; outpatient primary care screening/monitoring of key health indicators; patient-and family-centered integrated treatment planning; MAT and medication management; and comprehensive, trauma-informed, evidence-based, outpatient mental health and substance use services. Project goals include maintaining and utilizing SCS’ recently expanded telehealth capabilities to increase access to/availability of services; decrease hospitalization through crisis response and timely intervention; and providing clients with community-based treatment and support. SCS has applied for almost 2.5M in funding per project year to reach the goal of serving an additional 500 individuals per year, to respond to emergent clients within 3 hours 90% of the time, and to divert at least 80% of clients from hospitalization at the time of intervention.

Project Abstract for New Vista’s Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) Grant New Vista is a Community Mental Health Center serving 17 counties in central Kentucky and offering person-centered, trauma informed, integrated behavioral health, substance use and primary care services. The CMHC grant provides program support and allows us to increase service access to address the increased needs that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. New Vista offers a comprehensive array of services, serving urban and rural communities. The populations of focus for the proposed programs include individuals who have been most negatively impacted by the pandemic: those with a Serious Mental Illness (SMI), Substance Use Disorder (SUD), Co-Occurring Disorder (COD), and/or Severe Emotional Disturbance (SED) in a seventeen county catchment area that our Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) currently serves in Kentucky. These counties include Anderson, Bourbon, Boyle, Clark, Estill, Fayette, Franklin, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison, Mercer, Nicholas, Powell, Scott, and Woodford. Demographically, Kentucky is about 87% white and 10% African American, the counties above have a similar make up. Kentucky’s poverty rate is 16.3% and higher in rural areas, again the counties served by New Vista are in line with that average. Through strategic use of telehealth capabilities, New Vista plans to provide at least 200 primary care telehealth visits each grant year. With improvements to space, New Vista plans to increase access to residential SUD treatment beds to 48 women annually and increase access to IOP services by 10%. To address unmet needs of children in the pandemic, New Vista plans to work with schools and deliver 8 therapeutic groups annually. By hiring community engagement specialist and a school liaison, New Vista plans to create low barrier referral pathways and access into care through 20 new or expanded MOUs with schools and community partners. A volunteer manager and new volunteer positions on New Vista’s helpline will increase access to services and assist in ensuring a call abandonment rate below 12% (7% decrease) and that 80% of calls will be answered in 30 seconds. Lastly, New Vista intends to increase staff accessibility and competency surrounding the impact of the pandemic on the populations of focus. New Vista will provide culturally and linguistically competent trainings to increase knowledge of health disparities, social determinants of health and integrated care. New Vista will train peers in the management of client grief, isolation and loneliness as a result of the pandemic. New Vista understands that telehealth is needed beyond the pandemic so funds will also be used to upgrade work from home equipment for staff to allow for best possible communication and reduced screen fatigue. It is thought that 15% of clients will opt to receive telehealth services. New Vista expects to serve 300 clients annually and 600 total in the grant period.

The CMHC grant funds the Western Arkansas Counseling & Guidance Center (WACGC) CCBHC to restore and enhance services impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to 1,000 individuals in 6 Arkansas counties with mental and/or behavioral health disorders, including opioid and other substance abuse disorders. The WACGC CCBHC catchment area is comprised of 6 predominantly rural counties in western Arkansas: Crawford, Franklin, Logan, Polk, Scott and Sebastian. The diverse geographic area is extremely rural with the urbanization concentrated in Fort Smith. All 6 counties are HRSA-designated Medically Underserved Areas and Health Professional Shortage Areas in the primary health and behavioral health domains. The catchment area is racially and ethnically diverse at about 83% white, 7% Black or African-American, 5% Asian, and 2% Native American. Moreover, about 14% of residents are Hispanic. The target population is comprised of children (0+) with SED and persons of all ages who have or are at risk for: 1) SMI, 2) SUD, including opioid disorders, and 3) COD. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a plethora of barriers and service gaps affecting the availability of early intervention and timely access of physical and mental health treatment for individuals dealing with crises, SED, SMI, SUD and/or COD. The pandemic and subsequent service gaps have worsened pre-existing mental health conditions in our target population due to an overall decline in availability and thus utilization of crisis services services due to inaccessibility of services; agency closures; reductions in staffing and service delivery; mental health professional and therapist compassion fatigue, burnout, and turnover; and residents continued general fear of contracting COVID. School-based groups and services have been shuttered; crisis screenings have declined; the availability of CSU beds has been halved; the number of new admissions to the agency is down 50% from 1 year ago; jail admissions have decreased; adult and child day treatment programs have been closed for safety; and group therapy has not resumed agency-wide, including group therapy at school, inpatient, outpatient, and those for SUD and COD. The measurable goals and objectives of the project address five main ares of need in the wake of the pandemic: 1) Service gaps for walk-in clients in need of immediate care; 2) Crisis stabilization and crisis response; 3) School-based services; 4) Caseload reductions, compassion fatigue and burnout; and 5) Training for clinical and non-clinical staff. WACGC will restore services to 1,000 people in the target populations (Y1: 500; Y2: 500), through the hiring of 43 clinical and non-clinical personnel (Y1,Y2); enhancement of the current technological infrastructure (Y1); renovation of physical space at the Fort Smith campus to create confidential space for telehealth appointments and for the intern clinic (Y1); re-establish community partnerships with LEOs, jails, and courts (Y1,Y2); the creation of an intern clinic for BSW and MSW students (Y1); and through extensive EBP training for clinical and non-clinical staff including ACT team, Trauma-Informed Care, Play Therapy, ACT, etc. (Y1,Y2) in an effort to better equip staff to deal with the ongoing mental health crises caused by the pandemic.

The U.S. territory of Guam is requesting funding from CMHC to support Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center (GBHWC) efforts to establish a cohesive system between GBHWC and correctional facilities; Department of Corrections (DOC) and Department of Youth Affairs (DYA) to ensure individuals who are experiencing SED, SMI and COD are provided initial assessments, appropriate referrals, engagement in treatment while incarcerated and continuum of care as the individual transitions back into the community within a two-year period. Within the grant period, the number of unduplicated individuals to be served are minimum of 300 each year. GBHWC will provide on-site services to DOC and DYA to include telepsychiatry to maximize immediate access to mental health services instead of waiting on the correctional facilities to transport individuals to GBHWC facility. GBHWC, as a CARF (Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accredited facility will utilize standards as well as the National Commission on Correctional Health Care standards to guide practice and treatment in serving the DOC and DYA consumers. GBHWC is an active partner with the judicial system and involved in the implementation of the second chance reentry program. GBHWC’s involvement in onset of treatment will strengthen the identification and referral of consumers to the reentry program. According to the 2020 GBHWC individual data report, GBHWC served more than 3,000 individuals with 15.5% ages 17 and below, while 84.6% were adults ages 18 and older living with an SED, SMI, or COD. With GBHWC as Guam’s only community provider for mental health services, we expect the number of individuals to increase, most especially once the new school year begins in August of 2021, when students return to in class learning. According to the 2019 Department of Corrections monthly statistical report, showed 700 referrals to their Forensic Unit with 68 of those referrals needing immediate psychiatric services at GBHWC. While the remaining population are still awaiting assessments due to shortage of mental health providers within the correctional facility. According to the 2019 Citizen Centric Report, Department of Youth Affairs had 328 admissions with recidivism rate of 67.07%. 60 of those individuals were referred to GBHWC for assessment and psychiatric services. Target populations will be reached by increase delivery of clinical services to individuals with SED, SMI and COD who are at DOC and DYA and in need of services; through timely access to mental health screenings, telepsychiatry, availability and access to medications, and coordination of outreach efforts with partnered agencies in the community to assist target populations with supports and services for reintegration back into the community.

The proposed MRCS Community Mental Health Clinic (CMHC) Project will support and restore the delivery of clinical services that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and effectively address the needs of individuals with serious emotional disturbance (SED), serious mental illness (SMI), and individuals with co-occurring disorder (COD). To meet the evolving needs of our community further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, this project seeks to move our organization from a trauma-informed entity to one that is “trauma-responsive”. Specifically, the project will address the needs of the sub-population of adults and youth who are seeking services or need immediate crisis management services by expanding the capacity of our Crisis Care Center (CCC), Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) services in Wythe County, and our two Crisis Stabilization Units to provide medical clearance capabilities. We intend to expand Therapeutic Day Treatment (TDT) services throughout our six local school systems; expand the Peer Family Support program to include an additional Family Support Partner; increase the number of consumers, community members, and MRCS staff receiving training and resources around mental health, trauma, resiliency, and wellness. Specific training will be provided to staff on cultural and linguistic competency, to engage and retain clients from diverse populations. We will also increase services and support around the geriatric population, individuals in our communities who have been most isolated during the pandemic. This project will expand our agency’s availability and responsiveness to the growing behavioral healthcare needs and challenges facing our service area.

Mental Health Partners' RISE (Resilience-Innovation-Support-Expertise) Project intends to restore and transform behavioral health services that were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on removing barriers to care and addressing the drastically increased behavioral health needs within our delivery system. RISE will expand treatment and recovery infrastructure and increase current behavioral health programming capacity to meet the challenges that stemmed from the pandemic. The project aims to serve 400 individuals annually. The target populations are individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), serious emotional disturbance (SED), substance use disorders (SUD), or co-occurring disorders (COD). Subpopulations of focus are key underserved groups in our community: rural mountain residents, Hispanic/Latinx and BIPOC individuals and families, and low-income individuals, especially those who are underinsured. The project includes three primary goals: (1) Increase clinical capacity by strengthening innovative telehealth/digital infrastructure for programs working with individuals with SMI, SED, SUD, and COD; (2) Address the mental health needs as well as increase technology confidence for staff and clients by improving training and increasing technical support for using telehealth technologies; and (3) Expand access to community-based clinical and recovery support services by opening the Boulder Strong Resource Center and implementing a mobile care model, the Be Well Bus, targeting rural mountain residents as well as Latinx and Spanish-speaking families in the eastern portions of Boulder County. The RISE Project will enable MHP to build back stronger, especially in the face of the undeniable digital transformation taking hold throughout the healthcare industry as a result of the pandemic.

As a place of hope and healing, Washburn Center for Children is a leading innovator of children's mental health care in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro region. Our mission is to nurture every child and family's well-being and full potential through transformative children's mental health care. Washburn Center is proposing a two-year Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC) grant to restore, strengthen and expand the delivery of COVID-19 impacted clinical mental health care services to children with severe emotional disturbance (SED) and their families. Through this funding, 6,855 children experiencing SED gain access to affordable, evidence-based mental health care. The project emphasizes reducing barriers and building community awareness of available mental health care to traditionally underserved populations, including families from communities of color and/or limited ability to afford mental health care. The primary objectives of the project align with the agency's strategic operating plan and include: 1) Increasing by 24% outpatient evidence-based mental health care that includes trauma-informed screening, assessment, diagnosis and patient-centered treatment planning for children experiencing SED and their families. 2) Expanding and improving HIPAA compliant telehealth therapy infrastructure, so 20% of mental health sessions are delivered through telehealth. 3) Training 160 clinicians in evidence-based (EBP) and culturally responsive practices so they have the resources to respond to a wide diversity of children experiencing SED and support diverse client populations, understand behavioral health disparities and build cultural competency. 4) Strengthening technology resources and launching an effective Learning Management System so that 50% of mental health training can be live-streamed and recorded to increase training of rural mental health providers and allied professionals across the country. 5) Reaching underserved populations through community outreach strategies and referral pathways for vulnerable populations, such as families identifying as BIPOC and/or residing in economically disadvantaged communities and/or living in rural areas throughout Minnesota. After a tremendous amount of grief, loss, and trauma associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and our community's racial reckoning, youth and families' emotional well-being is incredibly fragile. There's a growing "tsunami" of children's mental health needs. This project addresses those challenges by restoring, strengthening, and expanding clinical mental health care services delivery.

The Alliance for Community Wellness (“La Familia”) Tri-County Project will serve 500 unduplicated individuals per year in Alameda, Merced and Stanislaus Counties with evidence-based outpatient, and clinical and recovery support services. Latinx individuals, specifically (a) youth aged 11-18 with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) and (b) parents and caregivers with Severe Mental Illness (SMI) or Co-Occurring Disorders (COD) will be the target service population. With nearly 70% of our service population being Latinx, and data revealing that the Latinx population is suffering disproportionately from COVID-19, we cannot deny the need for services among our community members. Based on our current client population, we anticipate that 50% of individuals served will have SED, 25% will have SMI, and 25% will have COD. La Familia and partner First Behavioral Health Urgent Care Center (FBHUCC) will use a case-manager-driven team-approach to patient care and utilize a culturally based framework focusing on building on the natural opportunity factors and on what is healthy within an individual, community, family, or culture to 500 unduplicated individuals in 34 cities plus unincorporated areas annually. Project objectives: 1) Build telehealth infrastructure across six sites, increasing telehealth appointments by 10% with at least 50 appointments from new telehealth access centers; 2) Establish clinical teams at 14 school districts where leadership at 90% of partner districts in CBHC geographic service area receive training in Mental Health First Aid to identify and respond to mental crisis and serve 75% more individuals; 3) Execute MOUs with eight additional school districts or other social service agencies to establish referral pathways and telehealth and campus-based services for youth and caregivers with SMI, SED, or COD, including at least two MOUs concerning crisis beds; 4) Establish two pilot mental health crisis and emergency response teams with coverage at least six hours a day, five days a week; 5) Execute MOUs with two additional agencies to increase referral capacity for crisis beds for youth and caregivers in the geographic regions; 6) 90% of staff at La Familia and partner subgrantee FBHUCC will receive training on health disparities as well as report that they have received services to address their mental health needs; and, 7) 5,400 individuals will be engaged through outreach activities targeted at increasing treatment for individuals with SED, SMI, or COD.

Comprehensive Behavioral Health Center of St. Clair County, Inc. (also known as CBHC or the Center) has provided treatments services in East Saint Louis, Illinois, one of the most impoverished communities in the state, since 1957. This project, Restoring the Community's Center, will allow us to continue to provide vital services to our primary population of focus (POF): adults with SMI and COD, who are largely people of color living in an economically disadvantaged area. The vulnerable population in our area often experiences inequity in access to services. More than one-third (36%) of the county's population are people of color and the poverty rate is 13.3%. Prevalence data for St. Clair County reflects that are some 8,681 individuals with serious mental illness in the community; 3,594 individuals with COD; and some 14,736 individuals with untreated substance use disorders. Project funds would allow CBHC to expand services for adolescents and transition-aged youth with COD. Our services include a focus on the homeless and on individuals re-entering the community from county jail and those on probation trough close relationships with local Mental Health and Drug Courts. CBHC plans to provide services to 500 clients per year and 1,000 over the life of the project. Project goals include increasing the capacity of the agency to engage the adult SMI and COD population in treatment. CBHC has established an associated objective reflecting that fifty-percent of clients with SMI will demonstrate improved mental health functioning after three months of treatment as measured by the National Outcomes Measurement System (NOMS0. CBHC plans to restore capacity of outpatient services to youth with co-occurring disorders. An associated objective is that fifty-percent of involved youth engaged in substance use disorder treatment will indicate no past 30-day substance use, excluding tobacco, after six months of outpatient treatment as measured by NOMS. Additionally, CBHC plans for this project to include expansion of telehealth services to promote client contact and engagement. An objective is to expand the use of telehealth services by twenty-percent in the first grant year and a thirty-percent increase from baseline in the second year of the project. The project also includes a goal of providing resources to address the mental health needs of staff. CBHC plans to implement wellness activities including self-care workshops s part of this goal. CBHC experienced significant revenue losses and increased expenses as a result of the pandemic. The agency had to suspend admission to residential programs early on in the pandemic to prevent potential spread of the virus. Once virus transmission prevention information became available, limited admissions resumed to residential programs with capacity being limited to one-half of normal capacity severely impacting revenue. Other service lines were also negatively impacted due to closure of other programs like schools which frequently provide referrals to agency services. CBHC also incurred additional expenses with purchasing personal protective equipment for staff and clients. Cleaning and disinfection costs rose to increase the frequency services and to purchase special materials suitable to address the virus. Food service costs rose extensively due to increased food costs and to switch to disposable service items to prevent possible virus transmission. In addition, costs for computer equipment to swiftly pivot to telehealth services were required to maintain services. Restoring the Community's Center will assist the agency in it's mission of providing services to our vulnerable population.