Clark County Regional Support Network (RSN) continues to initiate the planning and implementation of several innovative projects in public mental health. The following projects were implemented as the result of the RSN's effort to unify the publicly funded mental health system and reduce service barriers through collaboration with other social services agencies.
Co-occurring Methamphetamine Expanded Treatment (COMET)
The COMET (Co-occurring Methamphetamine Expanded Treatment) program began in October 2004 with a three-year, $1.5 million grant from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). The grant calls for the development of an effective, evaluated, multi-disciplinary approach for adult consumers in Clark County who have both a serious mental illness and methamphetamine addiction. COMET provides a specialized PACT team comprised of mental health case managers, chemical dependency professionals, an RN/MSW, an ARNP, and two peer mentors in recovery from meth. Services include in vivo PACT case management, 24-7 emergency coverage, and the Matrix Model of structured outpatient individual/group treatment for stimulant abuse. The chief goal is to help consumers establish a clean and sober lifestyle, improved physical health and quality of life, and reduction in episodes of criminality, homelessness and psychiatric crises.
COMET is the only program of its kind in the nation and is a collaborative endeavor by the Department of Community Services, Community Services Northwest (Mental Health Northwest), and Lifeline Connections. COMET serves 40-60 consumers a year, a minimum of 140 over the three-year grant period. Referrals come mainly from state and local corrections officers, specialty courts, Child Protective Services, homeless/housing service providers, and other mental health and substance abuse treatment agencies. An evaluation of COMET is being conducted by the Regional Research Institute of Portland State University.
Mental Health Court
Through community collaboration between the Mental Health and Criminal Justice systems, the 1998 pilot project for the Dually Diagnosed Assessment and Community Treatment (DDACT) program has set the stage for the implementation of a Mental Health Court (MHC) in Clark County. The Court is designed to divert offenders with mental illnesses and/or substance abuse away from jails and into appropriate treatment.
The Mental Health Court is now one of the specialty courts within the Department of Corrections that has served over 290 clients since its inception in April of 2000. With the awarding of a 2-year SAMHSA or federal grant, additional staff and services were enhanced to provide better community linkages for mentally ill offenders.
The Court consists of a Judge, Prosecutor, Defender, Court Monitor, Case Manager, and a Court Administrator. The Mental Health Court serves those clients who have committed a non-felony, felony reduced, or non-violent misdemeanor crime. In addition, the clients must possess a significant mental health diagnosis, in accordance with the Diagnostic Statistical Manual-IV.
Program of Assertive Community Treatment
Program of Assertive Community Treatment (PACT) is now in its eighth year of operation. Community Services Northwest has been operating this intensive case management program. The program is designed to serve "high utilizers" of inpatient and/or acute care and/or emergency services. The success in diverting patients out of the hospital led to an expansion of the PACT program to serve up to 50 consumers. Staff provides a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week, multidisciplinary approach to deliver comprehensive care to the PACT clients. In addition, Community Services Northwest developed and manages payee ships and maintains 14 apartments for persons enrolled in this program.
School-Based Mental Health Program
The School-Based Mental Health Program is designed to equip families with problem solving strategies for helping their child function more effectively in school and at home by providing access to professional mental health services at school sites. The Clark County school- based program serves children ranging in age from 5 to 20. The program is designed to serve children with emotional-behavioral problems and family difficulties during regular school hours who are not able to benefit from the educational and social opportunities provided by a traditional classroom. The program is a collaborative effort between the education and mental health systems and is described as psycho-educational. The program serves 5 school districts and 47 schools. The program focuses on the principles of strength- based and individualized treatment.
Young Offender Re-entry Program (YORP)
The YORP program is a partnership of the Department of Community Services and Corrections, the Washington Department of Corrections, Columbia River Mental Health Services, and Portland State University’s Regional Research Institute. Funded in 2005 with a four-year, $1.8 million grant from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), YORP provides services to 18-24 year-old offenders who are reentering the community from prison and jail. YORP is geared to individuals who have both chemical dependency and mental health conditions, who have a lengthy history with the criminal justice system, and who are assessed at high risk to re-offend. The goal is to ensure successful community reentry and reduce the occurrence of relapse and recidivism for a minimum of 220 individuals over four years. Participants are mandated to YORP as part of the post-release conditions of their parole or probation. YORP will serve approximately 50 persons per year through a PACT team employed by Columbia River Mental Health Services. Consisting of mental health and chemical dependency professionals, a consumer peer mentor, a vocational counselor, an RN, and a psychiatrist, the YORP team is unique in that it also includes state and local probation officers.
