MH Services

Administrative Management is basic case management activities for consumers who need mental health services upon formal entry into the Base Service Unit. The consumer and/or his/her family describe the reason(s) for seeking services, the issues and their urgency, strengths and resources, and what outcomes are expected as a result of services. Financial and demographic data are recorded at this intake meeting. The administrative case manager assists the consumer in obtaining needed services, authorizes and monitors services, and checks on progress.

Resource Coordination provides more in-depth involvement by the case managers/service coordinators with clients and affords them the ability to work with consumers in the community.

Intensive Case Management Services are designed to provide individualized linkage and monitoring of mental health and supportive services to a relatively small case load of individuals, adults or children, who require more involvement and contact with their case manager/service coordinator. Services are, for the most part, in the community and are designed to promote specific outcomes. Some of the consumer outcomes are identified as follows: (1) reduction in the number of days hospitalized; (2) increased functioning level; (3) appropriate living accommodations; (4) social adjustment; (5) vocational adjustment; and (6) educational adjustment. In general, the goal is to build a network of community resources and services based on each consumer's strength, thus reducing their level of dependence and increasing their quality of living.

Community Services are composed of information and referral services and of consultation and education services.

a. Information and Referral Services consist of current data about MH/MR and Drug and Alcohol programs and assistance in obtaining other community agency help. Individuals who call or stop in with inquiries about the services available under the auspices of MH/MR are provided with basic information as requested. When the questions indicate the need for resources other than MH/MR, they are referred to the appropriate organization. All staff members participate in this agency function using various directories of resources when applicable.

b. Consultation and Education Services include information, consultative, and educational programs for community agencies, organizations, professional personnel, and the community. Activities are directed toward informing the general public about the agency and its services, about general principles of good mental health, and preventing mental disabilities through a variety of approaches and media. Functions of this division also include staff development and training, educational programs for other organizations, and consultation related to specific cases or issues.

Mental Health Crisis Intervention is available on a 24-hour basis to persons with a mental disability who are in need of immediate care. MH/MR staff and local facilities cooperate in providing this service. The MH/MR Program and its providers have crisis workers available to respond to mental health crises during regular office hours, after-hours, weekends, and holidays.

The crisis workers provide crisis counseling, crisis intervention and information, and refer persons to appropriate services as necessary. They are also responsible for coordinating all resources to reduce or deflect an immediate crisis so that all efforts are directed to successful resolution. They assist in situations which may require hospitalization on a voluntary or an involuntary basis.

Telephone crisis workers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to respond to mental health crises. The initial contact should be to the appropriate crisis line. Whenever MH/MR offices are closed, an on-call crisis worker may be contacted via the regular office numbers.

Carbon County: (610) 377-0773

Monroe County: (570) 421-2901

Pike County: (570) 296-6484

TTY: (570) 420-1904

Residents in toll call areas of the three counties may contact the crisis line free at 1-800-338-6467.

Walk-in crisis services are available during regular office hours in each of the three county offices. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 A.M. — 4:30 P.M.

Mobile crisis workers are available daily at selected times to see persons in crisis in their home setting to assist in resolving the crisis and in developing any necessary plan of action to avert future crises.

Crisis residence provides a residential alternative to hospitalization for adult consumers when a person is experiencing a crisis which cannot be alleviated and resolved immediately and safely within their own home. It is less restrictive than inpatient services and is a short-term treatment option, usually five days or less.

Emergency Services apply to emergency-related activities and administrative functions undertaken on behalf of a consumer after a petition for voluntary or involuntary commitment has been completed. Activities include delegate services and other necessary procedures to assure the safe resolution of the emergency. Initiation of emergency services occurs through the crisis worker who contacts the appropriate MH/MR delegate.

Short-Term Inpatient Services consist of care in a licensed inpatient psychiatric unit of a hospital for those unable to manage themselves because of severe mental disability. Inpatient services in a community facility provide hospitalization with a full range of activities, including milieu therapy, psychotherapy, chemotherapy, recreational therapy, occupational therapy, and medical treatment according to the consumer's needs.

Long-Term Inpatient Care. Consumers may be referred to a state hospital with the approval of MH/MR. A plan for discharge back to the community is developed upon admission.

Partial Hospitalization is a day treatment (outpatient) service offering a full range of mental health treatment for a minimum of three hours and a maximum of six hours per day for up to five days per week. Partial hospitalization services, which use therapeutic modalities designed to improve or maintain the consumer's level of functioning, are treatment alternatives to inpatient psychiatric hospitalization.

Outpatient Services consist of diagnosis, evaluation and/or treatment of persons with a mental disability not requiring hospitalization. Types of treatment include individual, group, family therapy, or medication when other modalities are insufficient to meet consumer needs. Outpatient services are available in each county. Consumers' visits for psychotherapy and other services are scheduled according to their treatment plan.

Other outpatient services include:

After-Care Services consist of case management and any program offered through the Base Service Unit (BSU) to persons who have been long-term inpatients to assist in their readjustment to community living. Intensive follow-up of former patients of state mental hospitals is a critical responsibility of the agency, with goals of rehabilitating consumers and preventing re-hospitalization.

Children and Adolescent Services System Program (CASSP) provides for coordination of all the relevant systems impacting on emotionally disturbed and at-risk children and adolescents. The CASSP Program plays an integral role in interagency education, improvement of collaboration, and improvement of the child, adolescent, and family service delivery system across counties.

Family-Based Mental Health Services (FACT) provide an intensive in-home treatment service as an alternative for families whose children are at risk of being institutionalized or placed in residential or foster care. The program is designed to empower families and provide them with the skills and support necessary to maintain their emotionally disturbed children at home.

Student Assistance Program (SAP) provides assessment, referral, and intervention services for students who have been identified as having problems in school because of suicidal ideation, depression, family issues, or other mental health problems.

Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Services for Children and Adolescents (BHRSCA), also known as Early Periodic Screening and Diagnostic Testing (EPSDT) services, also known as wraparound or Provider 50 services, are arranged based on medical necessity. These include an array of community-based, intensive, short-term, and time-limited services which assist mentally ill or at-risk children to function more effectively in their home, school, or community. Services are arranged through a CASSP referral and interagency meeting which includes the family and child(ren). There may also be limited residential treatment facilities available under BHRSCA when determined to be medically necessary.

Residential Services provide living arrangements in community residences for chronically mentally ill adults and selected children. Operated by providers under contract to the agency, there are several types of programs and multiple sites. Residential services include community residential facilities (CRF), community residential rehabilitation (CRR) services, long-term structured residences (LTSR), and residential treatment facilities (RTF).

a. Community Residential Facilities (CRF) include numerous programs, including supported living, family living, and home-based services. Sites may vary according to the needs of the individuals.

b. Community Residential Rehabilitation (CRR) is a transitional program which provides both full care and moderate supervision for adults. Consumers will be involved in treatment or rehabilitative services during the day if they are not employed.

c. Residential Treatment Facilities (RTF) are residential programs for children with serious mental health needs who cannot be treated on an outpatient basis.

Housing Support Services are services provided to mental health consumers which enable them to access and retain permanent housing through suitable support, guidance, and assistance.

Facility-Based Vocational Rehabilitation Services consist of programs which develop vocational skills in workshops and provide employment for mentally disabled consumers. Types of service include vocational evaluation, personal work adjustment training, work activities, and sheltered employment, primarily in industrial-type jobs.

Community-Integrated Employment (CIE) and Related Services combine vocational evaluation, training, and employment in business or industrial settings or other community work sites. Included are competitive employment, supported/ive employment, and industry-integrated programs such as work stations in industry, mobile work forces, enclaves, affirmative industries, and placement and follow-up services.

Social Rehabilitation Services offer a variety of services designed to improve or support the consumer's adjustment and integration within the family and community through rehabilitative activities, social skills development, recreational or educational programs, activities of daily living, skills development, and other supportive services.

a. Adult Developmental Training constitutes alternatives to vocational programs for those consumers whose skills of daily living or independence require more basic developmental training, maintenance, or rehabilitation.

b. Family Support Services (FSS) refer to supportive services designed to help mentally disabled adults, children and adolescents, and their families to be maintained at home and which support the person to live effectively in the community.

c. Clubhouses offer consumers an opportunity to gain work and work-related skills by contributing their time and efforts to the operation of a facility run by and for consumers. Transitional employment may also be available.

d. Drop-In Centers are sites where social and recreational activities are available for consumers and are usually run by and for consumers.

e. Early Intervention Programs are for infants and toddlers at risk of a disability or with developmental disabilities and are conducted in the home or in integrated community settings. These early intervention programs, offered through mental retardation division, are for children from birth through two years who have a developmental delay or disability and are designed to foster normal development and sound experiences before formal education.