Veterans Recovery Resources

CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINIC AT VETERANS RECOVERY RESOURCES (CCBHC-VRR) - VETERANS RECOVERY RESOURCES (VRR) PROPOSES THE CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINIC AT VETERANS RECOVERY RESOURCES (CCBHC-VRR) PROJECT TO EXPAND ITS EVIDENCE-BASED MENTAL HEALTH (MH) AND SUD SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS WITH SMI, SUD, OR COD ALONG WITH CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH SED. VRR’S INTERDISCIPLINARY, TRAUMA-INFORMED AND PEER-INFUSED OUTPATIENT TREATMENT PROGRAM SERVES A VIBRANT AND DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF SERVICE MEMBERS, VETERANS, AND THEIR FAMILIES (SMVF) AS WELL AS NON-VETERANS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND OTHER UNDER-SERVED POPULATIONS IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA. BY THE END OF THE GRANT PERIOD, VRR WILL PROVIDE WHOLE-PERSON, WHOLE-FAMILY, AND COMMUNITY-BASED CCBHC SERVICES TO 700 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS IN MOBILE AND BALDWIN COUNTIES (A HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION IDENTIFIED HIGH-NEED AREA) AND BE POISED TO SUSTAIN CCBHC SERVICES IN THE FUTURE. IN ALIGNMENT WITH NEEDS OF THE FOCUS POPULATIONS, PROJECT GOALS INCLUDE: (1) INCREASING TIMELY ACCESS TO ALL CCBHC SERVICES; (2) INCREASING ACCESS TO INTEGRATED MH/SUD TREATMENT WITH PRIMARY CARE SERVICES BY CO-LOCATING AND INTEGRATING SERVICES; (3) ENSURING QUALITY CARE BY PROVIDING EBP EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO STAFF AND MONITORING USE OF EBPS, AND (4) EXPANDING PEER SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY INTEGRATION INTO EVIDENCE-BASED, INTEGRATED PRIMARY CARE. OBJECTIVES TO SUPPORT GOAL 1 INCLUDE PROVIDING ALL REQUIRED CCBHC SERVICES TO FOCUS POPULATIONS; PROVIDING ASSISTED OUTPATIENT TREATMENT (AOT); CONDUCTING EVIDENCE-BASED, AGE-APPROPRIATE SCREENING FOR SUICIDE RISK, DEPRESSION, AND SUD FOR ALL CCBHC ADULTS AND ADOLESCENTS DURING INITIAL INTAKE; ESTABLISHING AN EVIDENCE-BASED PROTOCOL AND FREQUENCY INTERVALS FOR RE-SCREENING CLIENTS, AND IMPLEMENTING AGE-APPROPRIATE SCREENING, BRIEF INTERVENTION AND REFERRAL TO TREATMENT (SBIRT) FOR ALL CCBHC CLIENTS. OBJECTIVES TO SUPPORT GOAL 2 INCLUDE ESTABLISHING A PARTNERSHIP WITH A PEDIATRIC CLINIC TO PROVIDE PEDIATRIC PRIMARY CARE; ENGAGING A LOCAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS (ED) TO LOCATE PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS WITHIN THE CARE SETTING; PROVIDING AGE-APPROPRIATE UNIVERSAL SCREENING FOR OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY AND TOBACCO USE TO ALL CCBHC CLIENTS. OBJECTIVES TO SUPPORT GOAL 3 INCLUDE PROVIDING EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO ALL CCBHC-VRR CLINICAL STAFF ON ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY (ACT), PRINCIPLES OF TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, OTHER EBPS, AND THE FOUNDATIONAL BUILDING BLOCKS OF OUR UNIQUE MODEL SUCH THAT 100% OF VRR CLINICAL STAFF WILL REPORT USE OF AT LEAST TWO EBPS IN YEAR 1, AS MEASURED THROUGH A SEMI-ANNUAL SURVEY. OBJECTIVES TO SUPPORT GOAL 4 INCLUDE CONDUCTING A NEEDS ASSESSMENT USING A COMMUNITY-BASED PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH APPROACH TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIVES FOR YOUTH VIA DESIGNING A PEER-TO-PEER PROGRAM FOR YOUTH AND ADVANCING INTEGRATION BETWEEN VRR AND THE COMMUNITY; CREATING A COMMUNITY-INTEGRATION ADVISORY BOARD WITH MEMBERS FROM COMMUNITY-BASED, FAITH-BASED, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE AN ACTION PLAN FOR VRR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND PURSUING A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE JUVENILE COURT SYSTEM TO PLACE A PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST IN THE COURT SYSTEM TO CONNECT JUVENILES AND FAMILIES TO CCBHC AND OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES.

MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID FOR VETERANS IN SOUTHWEST ALABAMA - ALABAMA HAS A POPULATION OF APPROXIMATELY 3,000,000 PERSONS (60% OF TOTAL POPULATION) WHO LIVE IN A HRSA-DESIGNATED MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDER SHORTAGE AREA. THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA HAS POPULATION TO MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS RATIOS THAT RANGE FROM 1040:1 (BALDWIN COUNTY) TO 4090:1 (WASHINGTON COUNTY). STATE-LEVEL PROJECTIONS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OCCUPATIONS SUGGESTS THAT ALABAMA WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A DEFICIT OF MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS OF ALL TYPES THROUGH THE YEAR 2030. THE NEED FOR INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO GAPS IN RECOVERY-BASED SERVICES ARE MAGNIFIED FOR THE 64,000 MILITARY VETERANS RESIDING IN THE 8-COUNTY CATCHMENT AREA OF SOUTH ALABAMA. ADDITIONALLY, VETERANS ARE OFTEN EMPLOYED AS FIRST RESPONDER PERSONNEL. ACCORDING TO A SUPPLEMENTARY RESEARCH BULLETIN FROM SAMSHA , IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 30% OF FIRST RESPONDERS DEVELOP BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONDITIONS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DEPRESSION AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER. CULTURALLY, FIREFIGHTERS ARE BRAVE, STRONG, AND RESILIENT, YET THEY EXPERIENCE FEAR OF LOSING THEIR CAREER IF SPEAKING ABOUT THEIR MENTAL OR EMOTIONAL DISTRESS. THE REPORT ALSO DESCRIBED A LACK OF AWARENESS AND PRAGMATIC BARRIERS (IE. HIGH COST OF SERVICES, ERRATIC WORK SCHEDULES) THAT LIMIT THEIR ABILITY TO SEEK CARE. COLLECTIVELY, THE NEED TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH LITERACY, DECREASE STIGMA, AND OFFER RESOURCES TO INCREASE THE CAPACITY OF VETERANS, FIRST RESPONDERS, AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS IS CLEAR. THEREFORE, OUR POPULATIONS OF FOCUS ARE VETERANS AND EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL (MANY OF WHOM ARE VETERANS). MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS AND DE-ESCALATION TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED TO VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES, EMERGENCY SERVICES PERSONNEL (FIREFIGHTERS & EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS), AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS WHO WILL LIKELY ENCOUNTER VETERANS IN THEIR EVERYDAY WORK. THESE PROFESSIONALS INCLUDE PRIMARY CARE PROVIDERS, VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATION PERSONNEL, FACULTY AND STAFF OF A LOCAL INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, AND FAITH BASED ORGANIZATION. THE PROJECT WILL DELIVER TRAINING AND SERVICES TO THE SIX COUNTIES OF THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF SOUTHWEST ALABAMA INTENDING TO REACH APPROXIMATELY 5700 PERSONS