Mountain Comprehensive Care Center will implement the Mountain Pathways Home Project to provide comprehensive, coordinated, and evidence-based treatment, recovery-oriented services, and access to housing for individuals, including youth, and families with SUD or COD who are experiencing homelessness as it expands the local infrastructure across the service area of Floyd, Johnson, Lawrence, Magoffin, Martin, Morgan, Pike, and Rowan counties in KY.
Population: Based on data from the KY Balance of State CoC, which serves the catchment area, it is surmised that 85% of the targeted population will identify as White with minority populations higher than the general public including 12% Black, 2% Multiracial, 1% other races, 2% Hispanic, and 0.5% LEP. Men will account for 58%, women 41%, transgender 1%, LGBTQ+ 6%, and veterans 3%. In terms of age, 67% will be adult individuals over age 24, 6% transitional-age youth (ages 18-24), and 27% will be families (61% children/youth, 39% adults). Located in eastern KY and the Central Appalachian region, the targeted population is anticipated to experience even more disparities than the general population – which is still significantly impacted by poverty, high unemployment, and recent flooding causing crisis across the region.
Interventions: Staff will conduct outreach and engage potential program participants using trauma-informed care along with Motivational Interviewing (MI). Assessment will include the VI-SPDAT, Psychosocial Assessment, and ASAM while using Housing First to link clients with housing and desired treatment and recovery-oriented services as outlined in a Person-Centered Plan. Evidence-based practices include Housing First, MI, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (including Seeking Safety and Living in Balance), peer support services, and Medications for Opioid Use Disorder/Medication Assisted Treatment (MOUD/MAT). MCCC will link clients to primary health care through its HomePlace Clinics while also providing case management/care coordination, enrollment in benefits, peer/community/recovery supports, and aftercare upon exit.
Goals: MCCC will serve 40 clients in Year 1 and 60 annually in Year 2-5 (total 280). Goals for the targeted population include: 1) Improve health by engaging with and coordinating care to evidence-based and population-specific behavioral health treatment and primary health care; 2) Improve stability by providing and/or coordinating comprehensive case management, recovery and housing support services; and 3) Improve equitable and effective project implementation and evaluation by conducting CQI. Objectives achieved by end of each project year include: 1.1) conducted engagement/harm reduction services so 40 are served in Year 1 and 60 annually in Years 2-5; 1.2) coordinated access to individualized SUD treatment (and FDA-approved medications) so 60% report abstinence from substance use and/or alcohol [at 6-month follow-up]; 1.3) integrated mental disorders treatment so 50% or less report any MH symptoms; 1.4) provided linkages to integrated primary care so 65% report health as “good” or above; 2.1) provided and/or coordinated access to peer supports so 60% report positive social connections; 2.2) coordinated access to recovery support services so 50% report engagement in employment/ education, and/or benefits enrollment; 2.3) provided person-centered case management planning and services so 50% report housing stability and 60% no further arrests; 3.1) monitored indicators of enrollees each quarter to ensure equity/inclusion among all groups and revise outreach as needed; 3.2) conducted Steering Committee meetings at least quarterly to coordinate services, monitor goals/objectives, and CQI. MSU will conduct an independent evaluation.