“Building a Collaborative Care Model: An Approach for Effective Early Identification and Treatment of High School Students at Risk for Developing Psychosis.” The Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division Wraparound Milwaukee submits this application for $1,597,313 (over four years) to partner with Milwaukee Public School (MPS) in providing evidence-based practices and interventions to prevent the onset of psychosis or lessen the severity of psychotic disorder. The population of focus for the proposed project are MPS High School Students, residing within the City of Milwaukee as the geographic catchment area, with an urban population of 595,351. Through a 2014 SAMHSA Project AWARE grant, MPS developed and implemented “The School Community Partnership for Mental Health (SCPMH),” a collaboration between school and community mental health providers. Onsite service delivery focuses on students with emergent and/or unmet mental health concerns that extend beyond what can be addressed by school staff. MPS high school students and their families will be impacted through expanded identification and screening procedures to assure rapid referral for clinical high risk of psychosis (CHR-P). Of MPS high school students, the gender distribution is 51% male, 48% female, and 1% transgender. The racial and ethnic breakdown is 50% African American, 36% Hispanic/Latino, 30% White/Caucasian, 11% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 8% Native American. Most MPS high school students fall between 15-17 years of age (76%) and live in poverty. Approximately 10% of MPS high school student have limited English proficiency, and 20% have disabilities and special needs. Regarding sexual orientation, 81% of students are heterosexual, 10% are bisexual, and 3% are gay/lesbian. The project proposes to serve 10 unduplicated number of youth and young adults at CHR-P per year, a total of 40 youth over the entire project period. Strategies and interventions include advanced training for MPS school-based mental health staff and SCPMH Provider workforce, expanded identification and screening procedures to assure rapid referral for CHR-P, a Clinical School Liaison to interface on a daily basis with MPS school-based mental health staff and SCPMH Providers, and a designated Wraparound Network Provider to coordinate services and treatment for the cohort of MPS students at CHR-P. Project goals are to: (1) Provide outreach and education to the MPS workforce about the CHR-P program, early identification and screening procedures to assure rapid referral to CHR-P, (2) increase access to early treatment interventions for MPS students at risk for CHR-P, and (3) provide proactive support for MPS students at risk for CHR-P. The proposed project will address a service gap in meeting the mental health needs of high school students at CHR-P through advanced training topics on psychosis including, but not limited to, psychotic syndromes, history of psychosis treatment and why early identification is critical to long-term treatment outcomes. Current workforce training focuses on trauma, anxiety, and behavior problems, however evidence-based practices specifically to identify, screen, refer, and treat MPS high school students at CHR-P are lacking.
