Centerstone Illinois: Youth and Family TREE (TREE) will serve 450 unduplicated adolescents (ages 12-17) and transitional-aged youth (ages 16-25), and their families/primary caregivers with Substance Use Disorder (SUD) or co-occurring disorders (COD) in Franklin, Jackson, Madison, Perry, St. Clair, and Williamson counties, Illinois (Yr 1: 50; Yrs 2- 5: 100). TREE will implement evidence-based treatment/interventions, early intervention, screening/assessment, education/messaging, peer support services, linkages to wraparound recovery supports, etc.
Among the catchment area’s estimated 56,500 adolescents and 69,350 transitional-aged youth, 2,940 ages 12-17 and 10,580 ages 18-25 are expected to have SUD; 850 ages 12-17 and 4,165 ages 18-25 are expected to have COD. SUD risk is 80% higher among the estimated 14,370 ages 18-25 who experienced any mental illness and 148% higher among the estimated 6,500 ages 12-17 with a past-year major depressive episode. Consistent with available demographics, the focus population comprises 51% male, 49% female, 73% White, 21-22% African American, and 4-5% Hispanic/Latino individuals, with 23% of adolescents and 15% of transitional-aged youth experiencing poverty. Subpopulations include 24% of focus adolescents/youth who are racial/ethnic minorities, 4% who are Veterans, and 16% Veteran family members. Among these subpopulations, African Americans are nearly 300% and Hispanic/Latinos 200% more likely to live in poverty than white individuals. Of the area’s 62,780 Veterans, 6,450 are ages 18-34. An estimated 4,520 have an SUD, and behavioral health issues are the leading cause of hospitalization among troops.
TREE will deliver services within a Recovery-Oriented System of Care (ROSC), utilizing best practices from NIDA’s Principles of Adolescent SUD Treatment to implement the evidence-based Matrix Model for Teens and Young Adults, DIMENSIONS: Tobacco Free Program, Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), as appropriate, and evidence-informed Recovery Housing. Key TREE program components include local provider and community collaborations; outreach/engagement/education; assembly of Advisory Council; screenings/assessments to screen for SUD/COD, assess for HIV/viral hepatitis(VH) risk, trauma, and other health conditions; development of Individual and Family Care Plans; brief counseling; provision of SUD/COD treatment and tobacco use counseling/interventions; HIV/VH testing/referrals; recovery housing; case management/peer supports; and linkages to primary/specialty care and other supportive services (e.g., housing, employment assistance, benefits enrollment); sustainability planning; and dissemination of comprehensive evaluation. TREE goals include: Enhance/expand SUD/COD treatment, early intervention, and recovery support services; Develop infrastructure/capacity to integrate/sustain a comprehensive service continuum; Improve clients’ health status/outcomes; and Develop/disseminate a replicable service model. TREE will achieve the following measurable objectives: Provide training/workforce development for 250 staff/providers; Conduct outreach to 1,000 individuals to increase service access/participation; Increase substance use abstinence by 40%; Decrease mental health symptomatology by 50%; Assist 100% in need to identify/secure educational/housing/employment supports; Reduce involvement with the criminal justice system and exposure to crime/violence by 80%; Increase service access by 90%; Improve parenting skills/family functioning by 60%; Reduce costly service utilization by 50%; Reduce tobacco use by 30%; Increase benefits enrollment by 80%; and Achieve 80% participant retention. TREE has secured Memoranda of Understanding from partners dedicated to the project’s success and will collaborate with youth-serving organizations, providers, and other key community stakeholders.