Thursday, November 21, 2024
11/21/2024
Wheeler is a community mental health center and federally qualified health center providing a comprehensive continuum of integrated primary, dental, behavioral health, recovery, specialty, and aftercare services to medically underserved and vulnerable populations. The Wheeler Adult Reentry (AR) Program proposes to serve adults, ages 18 and older, with substance use disorders (SUD) or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders (COD) returning to greater Hartford, Bristol, New Britain, Plainville, or Waterbury, CT. after a period of incarceration. The population of focus includes individuals supervised in the community under the division of parole and community services, as well as, those scheduled for release from York, Cybulski, Robinson, and Osborn Correctional Institutions. 80% of CT detainees have mental health issues or SUD requiring treatment. 94% of detained persons with sentences ending within six months and 89% of individuals under community supervision statewide have a substance use issue. 75% of detained people and 72% of community supervised persons statewide are reported to require some level of nursing care. 62% of the detained population with sentence ending within six months and 46% of community supervised individuals lack a high school diploma indicating potential low health literacy and a need for full support services. The program seeks to address significant barriers to access to care, retention, treatment outcomes, and community reintegration by extending culturally appropriate intensive care management, trauma-informed treatment, and linkages to whole-health services. Number served: 300 individuals will be enrolled over the 5-year project period: Y1=50, Y2=70, Y3=70, Y4=70, and Y5=40 (for ramp down). Goals: 1) Conduct pre-release engagement to identified sentenced adults prior to discharge and persons in community supervision upon referral. 2) Implement AR services for adults with a SUD and/or COD returning to the target communities after a period of incarceration building on Wheeler’s existing comprehensive integrated behavioral health and primary healthcare system. Objectives: a. Conduct in-reach to persons scheduled for upcoming release and engage individuals under community supervision and at-risk of reincarceration, upon referral, to inform them of available services, establish trust, and develop a transition plan. Schedule comprehensive evaluation for SUD and COD for day of release, so required medicine and MAT services can be immediately accessed. b. Collaborate with corrections, parole, probation, and other agencies to ensure effective, person-centered, culturally appropriate transition plan. c. Increase access to comprehensive recovery-oriented MAT services, nurse care management, and peer engagement and establish linkages to integrated primary, mental health, dental, and ancillary services. d. Reduce clients’ substance use, improve primary and mental health symptoms (i.e. anxiety, depression, hypertension, diabetes), and secure treatment compliance through improved engagement and peer support. e. Engage clients in recidivism-reducing community recovery supports/resources to promote education, empowerment, self-sufficiency, and skills to support prosocial behaviors. Measures: i) 100% of clients will have established transition plan and actionable steps for accessing evaluation services the same day of their release. ii) 100% of AR clients will have a comprehensive recovery plan that fully integrates MAT, behavioral health, primary care, and recovery support services to promote and sustain recovery. iii) Reduce substance use for 75% of clients; At least 65% of clients improve other primary and mental health treatment compliance and will achieve sustained recovery. iv) 100% of clients will be offered recidivism-reduction supports to aid them in becoming contributing members of society. At least 75% of clients will achieve no recidivism 6 months post-release or program initiation.
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).
