Transition Age Youth Initiative: Promoting Resiliency and Recovery Oriented Practices! Dennis Bach, Program Director Lauren Cohen, Youth Coordinator

What Via Hope is Training, technical assistance and consultation to individuals in recovery with mental illness, their family members, youth who are interested in mental health, organizations and mental health professionals throughout the state of Texas. Works to transform the Texas mental health system into one that fosters resilience, promotes recovery, is person-centered, and consumer, youth and family-driven. Statewide program through partnership of Mental Health America of Texas and NAMI Texas. Funding from Department of State Health Services and Hogg Foundation.

(Some) Via Hope Initiatives Training and Certification program for Peer Specialists. Training and Certification program for Family Partners. Developed Peer Specialist Learning Community (PSLC) in – Assist organizations effectively implement or expand use of peer specialists. –Eleven Community Mental Health Centers and one Consumer Operated Service Provider participated. –Nine month process, starting with opening conference, monthly follow up, and closing conference.

Via Hope Initiatives Developed Recovery Focused Learning Community in –Learned from experience with PSLC; decided on more effective approach. –Goal: Build a recovery orientation in the Texas public mental health system that fosters, and is supported by, the use of peer support services. –Help individuals and systems develop deeper understanding of recovery orientation and experiment with recovery-oriented practices. –Five state hospitals and ten community mental health centers participated.

Via Hope Initiatives Developed Recovery Institute in –Promote mental health system transformation by: Helping hospitals and Centers develop culture and practices that support and expect recovery, and Promoting consumer, youth, and family voice in the transformation process. –Organizations and individuals at different stages in their knowledge, interest, and enthusiasm for transformation and recovery. –Multiple avenues of participation with varying levels of engagement. Awareness building. Leadership Academy. Recovery Oriented Change Initiative. Person Centered Recovery Planning

Via Hope Initiatives Recovery Institute. –Individual consumers and professionals in awareness building. –Nineteen organizations in Leadership Academy. –Five organizations in ROCI. –Two pilot sites in PCRP. –Interfaces with DSHS transformation efforts and is part of department’s overall transformation strategy. –General approach: Coordination with, but not duplication of, department’s activities.

Transition Age Youth Initiative: Promoting Resiliency and Recovery Oriented Practice

Why an initiative for Transition Age Youth? It’s a logical next step for Via Hope to develop an initiative like this. There is interest in the field from service providers. Transition age youth are in need of programming specifically for them. Researchers are creating tools to support this population.

Who is the initiative intended for? Organizations interested in learning more about the needs and interests of this unique population and using that knowledge to enhance their services for transition age youth. Teams from: –Community Mental Health Centers. –State Hospitals. –Other allied organizations. –Need adult and child mental health providers

Who is guiding the initiative? Via Hope responsible for facilitating and coordinating initiative. Advisory committee (work group) of stakeholders including: –Department of State Health Services Children’s and Adult MH staff. –Hogg Foundation. –Provider organizations. –Via Hope advisory committee. –Transition Age Youth.

How the Initiative Developed National activity: –Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration has awarded Healthy Transitions Initiative Grants to seven states. –Research centers focusing on this population. –Conferences and workshops coming up that consistently focus on Transition Age Youth.

How the Initiative Developed Conversations with individuals at state hospitals regarding this population. Survey of child and adult mental health directors at Centers. Discussions with key advocates and stakeholders. Interactions with youth, particularly with Youth ACT.

What is Resiliency? Popular term used in several arenas. One definition we like and use: The inner capacity that when nurtured, facilitated, and supported by others empowers children, youth, and families to successfully meet life’s challenges with a sense of self- determination, mastery, hope, and well-being.

Why include both Resiliency and Recovery Oriented Practices? Focus on both, because developmentally appropriate. Offers the opportunity to see how the two concepts relate to each other. Gives organizations space to determine which one fits best for the transition age youth they work with.

What are the Hallmarks of a Resiliency and Recovery Oriented System? Individually: –Hope and belief in potential of transition age youth. –Commitment to unconditionally supporting transition age youth. –Transition age youth and families are seen as experts in their care. –Transition age youth have voice in their care. –Support for transition age youth in their goals.

What are the Hallmarks of a Resiliency and Recovery Oriented System? Organizationally: –Infusion of transition age youth voice in programmatic, policy, and service delivery decisions. –Focus on resiliency first while addressing risk and symptoms. –All services are flexible enough to meet transition age youth where they are. –Bridges to community supports to offer continuity of care. (All hallmarks came from Resiliency Ohio

Who are Transition Age Youth? Several examples of age range for transition age youth –World Health Organization – 10 to 26 –Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration Some documents state 16 – 25. Others state 14 – 24 (We use this one). –Each Healthy Transitions Initiative has a different age range

Transition Age Youth: Why focus on them? Important developmental stage Developmentally, they are in a precarious position. –Lots of social expectations. –Time of struggle for independence. –Often the first time for a diagnosis to occur.

Transition Age Youth: Why focus on them? Typical milestones for other youth are what youth with mental health issues struggle with. For example: –Graduation from school. –First job. –Independence. Need supports in order to stay out of the cycle of poverty and crisis.

Overview of the Initiative Three Phases: –Phase I – Building awareness Introductory webinar and conference –Phase II – Building knowledge Web and teleconference based work Self-Assessment –Phase III – Developing practices In-depth technical assistance to put work into practice

Phase I: Building Awareness Kick off conference –Tuesday, August 28 th at 2:00 pm to Thursday, August 30 th at 2:00 pm in Central Texas. Conference Goals: –Learn more about transition age youth, why resiliency matters, and what a resiliency focused system looks like. –Hear examples of what is possible. –Have opportunity to identify positive work your organization is currently doing and next steps.

Phase II: Building Knowledge Will require application to participate. Team will select five to seven organizations. Limited to organizations that attend conference. September, 2012 through Spring, Joint learning experience. –Community of learning and joint exploration. –Group and individual organizational activities. –Via Hope’s role: Facilitate process; not the content experts. Identify and make available experts and other resources.

Phase III: Developing Practices Implement specific tools and practices as identified during Phase II. Based on interest of organizations involved in Phase II. Offer in depth technical assistance, training, and support to implement new practices Will identify pilot sites, organizations involved in Phase II, who apply and are accepted into Phase III. Spring through Summer, 2013.

How to get Involved: Register to be a part of the Kick Off Conference. –Must have a change team with an executive sponsor and up to four other members. –Executive sponsor must fill out the registration paperwork and attend the conference –Link to registration site will be sent in tomorrow. –Registration closes July 13 th at 5pm; space limited. First organizations to respond will receive priority consideration. Organizations will also be chosen based on responses to the short answer questions and composition of change team.

Other Details: No registration fee for conference. Via Hope will cover hotel expenses for teams attending and provide stipend to offset other costs of attending. The conference is a learning experience. We are looking for passion and interest in participants, not experience!

Remember The kick off conference is the first step for organizations to get involved in the initiative. To participate in the rest of the initiative, you must register for the conference, be accepted, and attend. Attending the conference does not guarantee participation in the other phases of the initiative; you must apply for those.

Questions?

My Contact Information If you have questions or need more information, contact either: Lauren Cohen, Youth Coordinator –(512) 471 – 5242 Dennis Bach, Director –512)