Proposal Text:

V. Service: Increase capacity for providing recovery-based educational opportunities.

Transforming services within Region II will require that all partners in the mental health system understand the meaning and implications of the Department’s vision of empowerment, self-determination and recovery and look at new programs and models of service delivery. Those partners include agency leadership and frontline workers in private, public, inpatient and outpatient settings as well as consumers, family members and governing boards.

To promote empowerment, self-determination and recovery, all of these partners can learn together. Opportunities for dialogue among all parties are needed to come to common understanding and make collaboration possible. Investment of time and money will be needed to provide inclusive training, and promote dialogue and collaboration of all providers, consumers and family members. Understanding and buy-in are needed at all levels, but especially at the leadership level. Implementing new approaches or programs may require changing policies and traditional practices and making tradeoffs among services. Consumers and family members need to be involved throughout as they are ultimately affected by choices and changes.

Funding Request:

Funds to support educational opportunities to enable full implementation of recovery principles throughout the mental health delivery system. Decisions regarding specific educational opportunities, trainings and skill development courses to be offered at the regional level or at the local provider and/or setting level will be made by the Regional Recovery Program Director, local Consumer Ombudsmen and other system partners based on assessment of current needs; however, some examples of educational opportunities that should be considered include:

A.Possible opportunities for all stakeholders (including consumer, family members, public and private providers and community):

1) Education on self-determination, empowerment, recovery and resiliency at both an individual and system-wide level,

2) Education on Evidence-Based Practices and programs that support recovery,

3) Education on stigma associated with mental illness as well as programs and initiatives to reduce discrimination and stigma, including possible negative perceptions held among providers of consumers,

B.Possible opportunities developed specifically for consumers:

1)Expanded training in Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP), NAMI Peer to Peer Program, or similar peer support models within the region,

2)Regionally-based Consumer Empowerment Leadership Training (CELT) Program,

3)Scholarships to support attendance at workshops and conferences, e.g. the Alternatives Conference,

4)Training to participate in programs, e.g., “In Our Own Voice” recovery education program, On Our Own of Maryland “Anti-Stigma Project”, NAMI Provider Education Program,

C.Possible opportunities developed specifically for family members:

1)Expanded offerings of NAMI Family to Family Program or similar family support programs within the region,

D.Possible educational opportunities developed specifically for providers:

Expanded offerings of On Our Own “Anti Stigma Project”, NAMI Provider Education Program or similar provider education programs within the region,

Budget Summary:

Training and educational opportunities $200,000

Implementation Dates: October 2006

Training Needs: Various (see Funding Request above)

Service Development Contact Person (Name, Phone, Email)

Utilization Management Structure:

Specific utilization management structure will be determined by the Regional Recovery Program Director in consultation with the Recovery Workgroup.

Planned Outcome Measures:

Full implementation of recovery principles throughout the region by way of skill development among all stakeholders including members of existing systems. Consumers will become more effective self-advocates, more effective service providers, and existing providers and delivery systems will be better equipped to support and collaborate with consumer directed efforts.

CSBs that employee peer educators, (or support peer education through consumer operated organizations) can efficiently promote recovery and wellness. Peer educators are able to teach others consumers about recovery, about living with specific disorders, dual disorders and substance abuse, and about maintaining wellness using the wellness recovery action plan (WRAP), and teaching practical information such as money management, dealing with grief, and preparing for employment.

Many new service models are being piloted in Virginia and elsewhere that can increase both efficiency and outcomes such as integrated treatment for dual disorders, jail diversion, “system of care” for children, etc.

Peer Provider Opportunities:

The following opportunities are available to peers as part of this service: numerous educational opportunities listed as part of this service are taught be consumers and family members; involvement in assessing needs and identifying outside opportunities for all stakeholders in collaboration with Regional Recovery Program Director and local Consumer Ombudsmen.

Expected Impact on State Facility Utilization:

Several of the above mentioned educational opportunities for consumers have been found to be successful in developing skills consumers can use to avoid the need for services from an inpatient (state) facility. The CELT Leadership Academy training provides essential information to encourage consumer involvement in mental health planning and service delivery systems and meets the standards set forth by SAMHSA for a designation known as “exemplary practice.”

There is an evidence base for WRAP. Following analysis of WRAP trainings in Vermont in 1997 through 1999 (Vermont Recovery Education Project, n.d.) and Minnesota in 2002 and 2003 (Buffington, 2003) WRAP participants demonstrated improvements such as: increased knowledge of early warning signs of psychosis and tools and skills for coping with prodromal symptoms, increased ability to create crisis plans, increased comfort asking questions and obtaining information about community services, increased comfort engaging in self-advocacy, improved lifestyles that promote recovery, and increased ease in recovery promoting activities.

Discussion

Training People into positions (by Jerry)

In order to fill some of the positions like the Recovery Director, couldn't training be used to 'hire from within?'

Training as recruitment (by Jerry)

Announcing the grant award may help in recruiting new workgroup members and community participation / involvement

Page History

20060xxxx Jerry

• Proposal text up, but a later start project, so not much info to add...

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