Thursday, November 21, 2024
11/21/2024
The Centers for Youth and Families (CFYF) is a CMHC serving 1800 clients annually located in Pulaski County, AR. This project seeks to develop and deploy an AOT Program in collaboration with and AOT Management Team and Steering Committee, local courts and hospitals, and community stakeholders. The new AOT program will serve 211 unduplicated clients over 4 years. The population of focus includes adults who are: 1) SMI, 2) Involved with the Criminal Justice System, 3) COD, 4) at risk for hospitalization or have been hospitalized multiple times, living in Pulaski County. CFYF has 69 clients in the Pulaski County Detention Center (PCDC) diagnosed with SMI or COD. Of those 72% are male, 38y/o on average, 52% Black/African American and 65% have a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder/personality. Of the clients who transition out of PCDC, 25% will not be restored and many will transition to the community with minimal engagement commitment and not be medication adherent. CFYF Emergency Behavioral Health Services Department screens 45 clients per month, many of which are indigent and not engaged in consistent treatment. CFYF receives acute hospital referrals for follow-up mental health appointments of which only 20% make these appointments. Most of the acute hospital referral clients are high utilizers and are not consistently engaged in a treatment process. Pulaski County, Arkansas (AR), is primarily designated urban and the most populous county in AR (Pop 399,145). The area ranks low on indicators of Health Behaviors, Clinical Care, Social & Economic Factors, and Physical Environment. The population of the area is 50% Non-Hispanic (NH) White, 6.6% Hispanic, 38% NH Black/African American, 2.4% Asian, <1% Native American, 4% Multiracial. About 3.3% of all Arkansans identify as LGBTQIA+. Trend data suggest the NH White population of the county is decreasing while the Hispanic and NH Black/ African American populations are increasing. Across the county, 15% are experiencing severe housing costs burdens, 16% in poverty, 15% drink alcohol excessively, 13% are food insecure, 19% are in poor to fair health, 12% experience frequent physical duress, 17% experience frequent mental duress, 11% are uninsured. County data suggest, on average, while 94% of homeless people have a bed available to them, 318 beds are empty and 386 slept outside unsheltered. Based on the identified needs of the target population and catchment area we have identified 5 main goals. Goal 1: Develop and implement collaborative AOT processes and protocols in Pulaski County catchment area by: Creating and maintaining AOT management team throughout the project, creating and maintaining AOT steering committee throughout project, creating and deploying program implementation plan, developing, and implementing AOT trainings and offered quarterly throughout the project. Goal 2: Reduce hospitalizations and re-hospitalization among the target population by: Reducing hospital admissions and readmissions among AOT clients, reducing hospital bed day use, and reducing hospitalization costs for AOT clients. Goal 3: Reduce incarceration and reincarcerations among the target population by: Transitioning 5 clients per year from Pulaski County Detention Center into the community through the AOT program and reducing criminal arrests for AOT clients. Goal 4: Increase treatment engagement and treatment usage among the target population by: Increasing medication adherence among AOT clients, reducing the number of missed appointments among AOT clients, and reducing harmful behaviors as measured by a reduction in risk assessments among AOT clients, and improving Quality Of Life Scale scores. Goal 5: Reduce homelessness and risk of homelessness among the target population by: Improving Social Determinants of Health specifically as they relate to housing security, assisting with obtain, and assisting AOT clients with maintaining stable housing.
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).
