COACHES Trauma-Focused High Fidelity Wraparound Project (“COACHES” Project) - The population of focus for the COACHES Trauma-Focused High Fidelity Wraparound project (“COACHES” project) is children and transition-age youth (and their families) between the ages of 6 and 21, who have a serious emotional disturbance (SED) and those at risk for or with co-occurring substance use disorders (SUD) who have experienced one or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). The geographic catchment area includes Putnam and St. Johns, two adjacent counties in Northeast Florida where the prevalence of children in grades K-12 with an emotional/behavioral disability has been increasing since 2018 despite stable levels among their peers in Florida. Over the 5-year grant period, the project will serve 230 unduplicated youth and families as follows: 30 the first year, and 50 each year thereafter. The population of focus includes children with a history of trauma and those served by the child welfare system who are at higher risk for out-of-home placement as demonstrated by repeated failures at less intensive levels of care, a history of two or more psychiatric hospitalizations, involvement with the Department of Juvenile Justice, and/or poor academic performance and/or suspensions. The goal of the program is to increase timely access to culturally competent, evidence-informed and evidence-based trauma treatment and services to prevent out of home placements or admission to inpatient/residential or juvenile justice programs. Two mobile teams, comprised of a trauma-trained clinician and a wraparound case manager, supported by a shared peer support specialist position will provide services in-person, in-home/on-site, as well as via telehealth and digital communication to address transportation barriers. Objective 1: By the end of the grant period, 80% of youth will remain in the community (defined as no involuntary psychiatric hospitalizations, residential placement, formal respite placement or incarceration) while participating in services. Objective 2: By the end of the grant period, 80% of youth will demonstrate an improvement in their social, cognitive, and role functioning as evidenced by CFAR/FARS or related assessment scores. Objective 3: By the end of the grant period, eligible youth will demonstrate 80% attendance of available school days while receiving services. Objective 4: By the end of the grant period, 80% of youth will not meet the HUD definition of homelessness while participating in services. Evidence-based practices will include Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Brief Strategic Family Therapy – Solutions Focused (BSFT), and High-Fidelity Wraparound.
To implement the required activities, LSF Health Systems (LSF), a not-for-profit, behavioral health Managing Entity contracted by the State of Florida to manage the state-funded system of behavioral healthcare in Northeast Florida, will partner with St. Augustine Youth Services (SAYS), a leading not-for-profit behavioral health provider with more than 30 years of experience serving vulnerable children and families.
