Family Services Of The Merrimack Valley Inc

STRENGTHENING COUPLES' MARRIAGE EDUCATION AND RELATIONSHIP ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM

STRENGTHENING COUPLES PROGRAM (SCP), A HEALTHY MARRIAGE AND RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION/SKILLS PROGRAM FOR LOW-INCOME LATINO COUPLES IN GREATER LAWRENCE

MASSACHUSETTS SUCCESS MENTORS COLLABORATIVE

HEALTHY MARRIAGE DEMONSTRATION, PRIORITY AREA 5

LAWRENCE YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION TASK FORCE

MERRIMACK VALLEY MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAININGS (MV-MHAT) PROJECT - FAMILY SERVICES OF THE MERRIMACK VALLEY PROPOSES TO IMPLEMENT THE MERRIMACK VALLEY MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TRAINING (MV-MHAT) PROJECT, WHICH WILL TRAIN ADULTS WHO REGULARLY INTERACT WITH YOUTH IN SIX MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITIES (ANDOVER, LAWRENCE, LOWELL, HAVERHILL, METHUEN, AND NORTH ANDOVER) IN THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID (YMHFA) CURRICULUM. YMHFA WILL BUILD THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS OF TRAINEES TO RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESS (MI) AND SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES (SED) AMONGST MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS (AGES 12–18), AND SAFELY LINK THEM WITH APPROPRIATE RESOURCES. OVER THE FIVE YEAR PROJECT PERIOD, THE MV-MHAT PROJECT WILL TRAIN 1,560 ADULTS INCLUDING TEACHERS, GUIDANCE STAFF, PARAPROFESSIONALS, SECURITY OFFICERS, COACHES, VOLUNTEERS, MENTORS AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS. THE LONG TERM GOAL OF THE MV- MHAT PROJECT IS TO MEASURABLY INCREASE THE NUMBER OF YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 12–18 WITH MENTAL ILLNESS (MI) OR SERIOUS EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES (SED) WHO ARE CONNECTED TO APPROPRIATE RESOURCES AND PROFESSIONAL TREATMENT. THE SHORT TERM GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF YOUTH-SERVING ADULTS, WHO ARE TRAINED IN YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH FRIST AID AND ARE THEREFORE ABLE TO 1) RECOGNIZE THE EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF MI AND SES, AND 2) INTERVENE AND CONNECT YOUTH WITH RESOURCES AND TREATMENT. TOWARD THAT END, FSMV WILL ACHIEVE THE FOLLOWING MEASUREABLE OBJECTIVES: 1) TRAIN MV-MHAT TO BECOME YMHFA INSTRUCTORS, 2) DELIVER THE YMHFA TRAINING TO 1,560 INDIVIDUALS OVER THE FIVE YEAR PROJECT, 3) PROVIDE WRITTEN INFORMATION TO TRAINEES THAT INCLUDES INFORMATION ON REFERRAL PROTOCOLS, DIRECTORIES OF MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PROVIDERS, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY, STATE-WIDE AND NATIONAL RESOURCES FOR INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY SUPPORT. 4) FOLLOW UP WITH ALL FIRST AIDERS WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF TRAINING COMPLETION THROUGH AT LEAST THREE TOUCH POINTS (BI-MONTHLY NEWSLETTER, INDIVIDUAL OUTREACH, SIX-MONTH POST SURVEY), 5) COLLABORATE WITH PROJECT PARTNERS TO CREATE WRITTEN RESOURCE AND REFERRAL POLICIES, AND 6) MAINTAIN COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS WITH AT LEAST THREE ADDITIONAL MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PROVIDERS TO ASSIST IN RESPONDING TO MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, COORDINATE SERVICE AVAILABILITY, FACILITATE ACCESS TO TREATMENT, AND SHARE RESOURCES FOR NON-CLINICAL SUPPORT SERVICES.

MENTORING PROGRAM GRANTS

AMIGOS MENTORING PROGRAM

LAWRENCE YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION TASK FORCE

MASSACHUSETTS 988 FOLLOW-UP IMPROVEMENT PROJECT - THE MASSACHUSETTS FOLLOW-UP IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (THE MA FOLLOW-UP PROJECT) WILL STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF THREE MASSACHUSETTS 988 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE CENTERS TO PROVIDE ENHANCED FOLLOW-UP SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING SUICIDE, MENTAL HEALTH, AND SUBSTANCE USE CRISES. AS THE LEAD AGENCY, FAMILY SERVICES OF THE MERRIMACK VALLEY WILL PARTNER WITH MASS211/CALL2TALK AND SAMARITANS SOUTHCOAST TO EXPAND WORKFORCE CAPACITY, STANDARDIZES FOLLOW-UP PROTOCOLS, AND IMPROVE THE CONTINUITY OF CARE AND REDUCING SUICIDE AND OVERDOSE RISK. THE MA FOLLOW-UP PROJECT WILL BUILD CAPACITY ACROSS THREE 988 CENTERS SERVING BERKSHIRE, BRISTOL, ESSEX, FRANKLIN, HAMPDEN, MIDDLESEX, NORFOLK, AND WORCESTER COUNTIES, REPRESENTING APPROXIMATELY 5.4 MILLION RESIDENTS (75% OF MASSACHUSETTS' POPULATION). THESE COUNTIES ACCOUNT FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE COMMONWEALTH'S SUICIDE DEATHS, OPIOID OVERDOSE FATALITIES, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICE DEMAND. ALTHOUGH THE PARTICIPATING CENTERS ANSWERED MORE THAN 74,000 CALLS, TEXTS, AND CHATS DURING THE PAST YEAR, ONLY 933 INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED FOLLOW-UP SERVICES. CAPACITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES WILL BENEFIT THE PARTICIPATING 988 CENTERS AND THE BROADER BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS SYSTEM. ENHANCED FOLLOW-UP SERVICES WILL DIRECTLY SERVE INDIVIDUALS OF ALL AGES WHO CONTACT 988 AND CONSENT TO FOLLOW-UP, INCLUDING THOSE EXPERIENCING SUICIDAL IDEATION OR BEHAVIOR, MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE USE CRISES, EMERGENCY INTERVENTIONS, OR BARRIERS TO ACCESSING ONGOING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE. SERVICES WILL INCLUDE SAFETY PLANNING, RISK REASSESSMENT, CARE COORDINATION, LINKAGE TO TREATMENT AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES, AND CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR UP TO 12 MONTHS BASED ON INDIVIDUAL NEED. PROJECT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE HIRING 3.45 FTE DEDICATED FOLLOW-UP STAFF; DEVELOPING STANDARDIZED FOLLOW-UP PROTOCOLS AND STAFF TRAINING; EMBEDDING FOLLOW-UP PRACTICES INTO ROUTINE 988 OPERATIONS; STRENGTHENING PARTNERSHIPS WITH MOBILE CRISIS OUTREACH TEAMS, COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTERS, HOSPITALS, 911/PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES, AND OTHER PROVIDERS; ENHANCING DATA COLLECTION AND CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SYSTEMS; AND PARTICIPATING IN SAMHSA'S NATIONAL CROSS-SITE EVALUATION. THE PROJECT'S GOAL IS TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF MASSACHUSETTS 988 LIFELINE CENTERS TO DELIVER COORDINATED, EVIDENCE-INFORMED FOLLOW-UP SERVICES THAT IMPROVE ENGAGEMENT IN CARE, STRENGTHEN CONTINUITY ACROSS THE CRISIS SYSTEM, REDUCE UNNECESSARY EMERGENCY SERVICE UTILIZATION, AND DECREASE SUICIDE AND OVERDOSE DEATHS. OBJECTIVES ARE TO: (1) ADD 3.45 FTE DEDICATED FOLLOW-UP STAFF; (2) TRAIN 100% OF FRONTLINE STAFF, WITH ALL ACHIEVING AT LEAST 80% ON COMPETENCY ASSESSMENTS; (3) IMPLEMENT STANDARDIZED FOLLOW-UP PROTOCOLS ACROSS ALL THREE CENTERS; (4) ESTABLISH OR UPDATE 12 PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS WITH CRISIS AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS; (5) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING FOLLOW-UP SERVICES FROM 933 TO 2,700 ANNUALLY; (6) INCREASE THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF FOLLOW-UP CONTACTS PER PARTICIPANT FROM ONE TO THREE; AND (7) ENSURE 100% OF ENROLLED INDIVIDUALS RECEIVE AN INITIAL FOLLOW-UP ATTEMPT WITHIN 24 HOURS. THESE OBJECTIVES ADVANCE SAMHSA STRATEGIC PRIORITIES BY EXPANDING CRISIS SYSTEM CAPACITY, IMPROVING ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE, STRENGTHENING CONTINUITY OF CARE, AND IMPROVING OUTCOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISES.

MENTORING CHILDREN OF PRISONERS PROGRAM

LAWRENCE YOUTH SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION TASK FORCE