Chestnut Health Systems' CMHC - Chestnut Health Systems (Chestnut) population of focus (POF) includes individuals with serious emotional disturbance (SED), serious mental illness (SMI), and co-occurring disorders (COD) in the geographic catchment region of McLean, Madison, St. Clair, Logan, Mason, Peoria, Menard Counties in Illinois. The purpose of this project is to ensure that individuals and families in our service area with SMI, SED, and/or COD have access to recovery-oriented behavioral health services including client-centered evidence-based behavioral health (BH) services. This project will help Chestnut address staffing and workforce development needs that will increase outreach and engagement with clients, enhance (peer) recovery support services, increase outpatient behavioral health counseling, increase school based mental health services and increase crisis residential capacity. The project will also increase access to care by providing support for Chestnut’s central access and intake/admissions departments. Chestnut will also attend to the mental health needs of their staff by creating a Work and Well-Being Community of Practice, in partnership with Behavioral Health & Wellness Program at the University of Colorado. The project goals and objectives are described below. Chestnut will serve and enroll 500 unduplicated clients into the CMHC evaluation grant funds in each year of the project and a total of 1,000 over the two year project. The project will treat 1,000 over its two year project period. The project’s period is September 30, 2021 to September 29, 2023 By achieving the project’s goals and objectives, Chestnut Health Systems will increase access to evidence-based interventions throughout the defined service area while reducing the negative consequences of behavioral health difficulties, including those faced by our staff. The project will utilize evidence base practices in its treatment of behavioral health. The project will also help support jail diversion programs in Madison and McLean Counties. Chestnut already has an extensive history of working with the local criminal justice system. Funds will be utilized for a Project Evaluator, six Early Intervention Specialists, six Clinicians, our Associate Director of Court Services, our Associate Director Access and Admissions, seven Central Access Specialists, five Admission Specialists, two Crisis Residential Unit Registered Nurses (RN) , seven Case Managers, two Workforce Engagement Specialists, two Community Relations Representatives, one Greeters/Reception for afterhours admissions, two On Call Supervisors, two Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialists and one Medical Office Assistant. The Project Director, Tammy Rodgers, is a key staff member for this project. Her salary/level of effort will be provided in kind for this project. The project is requesting a total of $5,000,000 in federal funds for the two year project.
