Wednesday, January 15, 2025
1/15/2025
Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division (BHD) Wraparound Milwaukee (WM) submits this application for $3,985,445 (over five years) to implement and sustain an evidence-based practice (EBP) Supported Employment (SE) program, and mutually compatible and supportive EBPs of Wraparound Care Coordination, Supported Education (SEd), and Supported Housing (SH) for transition-aged youth (TAY) with serious emotional disturbance (SED). The focus population are youth enrolled in the WM Older Youth Emerging into Adult Heroes (OYEAH) Program, all of whom have a DSM-V Mental Health Diagnosis; experienced mental health challenges for at least six months and be expected to persist for a year or longer; and been involved in two or more service systems such as mental health, social services, special education, child welfare, or juvenile justice. All OYEAH TAY reside in areas below the federal poverty rate, 38.2% living in areas exceeding the state average and another 31.9% living in areas more than triple the state rate. Approximately 8.6% OYEAH TAY are homeless and another 45.7% are “doubled up.” Services will be delivered in Milwaukee County as the geographic catchment area, with an urban population of 952,085. Based on an OYEAH average length of stay at 14.62 months, 78% retention, and increasing caseloads per EBP fidelity, the projected unduplicated number to be served are: Year 1, 30; Year 2, 22; Year 3, 10; Year 4, 25; and Year 5, 28; 115 youth over the 5-year project period. Strategies and interventions include delivering a robust training structure providing basic and intensive EBP training; implementing the SE program first in pilot and at a demonstration site; designating SE and SEd leaders to think through and develop the structure of the programs, and a benefits counselor for consumers to have accurate information to make informed choices; ensuring staff-to-consumer ratios are small enough so all employment and education specialists learn how to practice high-fidelity SE and SEd; engaging peer specialists as job and education coaches for OYEAH youth; establishing a Business Advisory Council to engage and elicit feedback from local employers; and creating peer specialist employment opportunities. Project goals are to provide access to EBPs in delivering comprehensive mental health and vocational services; actively engage the public and government sectors in supporting SE implementation; and sustain ongoing support and growth of the SE model. Measurable objectives are to: (1) initiate a SE workforce training and outreach plan to ensure fidelity of EBP implementation; (2) integrate SE EBP and mutually supportive EBPs; (3) establish collaborative feedback mechanisms for SE program implementation; (4) build the infrastructure for competitive employment within integrated settings with local employers; (5) create a plan with sustainable funding approaches for the SE program; and (6) use data-informed practices to develop a SE expansion plan for all Wraparound programs. Providing SE involves incorporating a new program into the service delivery system, contributing directly to SE program services transitioning to the Wraparound Milwaukee Provider Network as a foundation for project sustainability.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).