CONNECT SUMMIT COUNTY

ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IMPROVING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IS CORE TO CONNECT SUMMIT COUNTY'S MISSION OF CREATING A WELL-INFORMED AND STIGMA-FREE COMMUNITY WITH ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR ALL. THIS MEANS THE NECESSARY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES MUST BE IN PLACE; PEOPLE MUST BE ABLE TO EASILY FIND THESE SERVICES; THE SERVICES MUST BE HIGH QUALITY; AND THE SERVICES MUST BE AFFORDABLE AND CULTURALLY COMPETENT. CONNECT'S TEAM IS ACUTELY AWARE OF THE URGENCY OF ADDRESSING MENTAL ILLNESS. WE WORK TO PROVIDE SUMMIT, WASATCH, AND SALT LAKE COUNTY, UTAH COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH FREE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING, ASSISTANCE IN NAVIGATING THE MENTAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THERAPY, MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS, ACCESS TO PROVIDERS, ACCESS TO SUPPORT GROUPS, AND ADVOCACY FOR SYSTEM CHANGES. THESE SERVICES ARE OFFERED IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. ONE OF CONNECT'S SIGNATURE SUCCESSES IS THE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE GUIDE. THIS GUIDE IS AVAILABLE IN BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH, AND HAS VERSIONS ONLINE AND IN-PRINT. THE GUIDE CONSISTS OF A FLUID DIRECTORY OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ALONG WITH MENTAL HEALTH TOOL KITS THAT HELP PEOPLE SELF-NAVIGATE. LAUNCHED IN THE BEGINNING OF 2022, THE DIRECTORY FEATURES A LISTING OF LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, SUPPORTS, AND RESOURCES IN SUMMIT COUNTY. WE CONTINUOUSLY UPDATE THE GUIDE SO THAT IT REFLECTS THE MOST RELEVANT AND CURRENT INFORMATION. ANOTHER ONE OF CONNECT SUMMIT COUNTY'S UNIQUE SERVICES IS ITS MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCACY SERVICES, CREATED IN 2018. OUR MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATES RESPOND TO BOTH PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS FROM COMMUNITY MEMBERS SEEKING ASSISTANCE NAVIGATING MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IN BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH. THIS SERVICE IS AN EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE THAT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENT WITH SERVICES, EXTEND CLINICAL IMPACT, AND EXPAND CLINICAL CAPACITY. IT HAS ALSO BEEN SHOWN TO HELP DECREASE STIGMA SURROUNDING MENTAL ILLNESS. FROM JANUARY 1, 2022-DECEMBER 2022, CONNECT'S MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE LINE AVERAGED 5-7 CALLS PER MONTH. ONE YEAR LATER, THE PHONE LINE RECEIVED 18 CALLS PER MONTH. CURRENTLY, IN 2023, WE HAVE SERVED AROUND 200 INDIVIDUALS FROM THE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE LINE IN 2023. WE MEASURE THIS OBJECTIVE BY UTILIZING THE GOOGLE FORMS TRACKING SHEET THAT WE CURRENTLY USE TO MONITOR THE NUMBER OF CALLS RECEIVED PER MONTH, IN ADDITION TO THE ZIP CODE WHERE THE CLIENT IS LIVING, THE CONTACT METHOD (PHONE/EMAIL/TEXT), WHO THE PERSON IS CALLING FOR (SELF/FAMILY/FRIEND/BUSINESS ASSOCIATE/SCHOOL ADVISOR/OTHER), THE REASON FOR THE CALL (BASIC NEEDS/CRISIS/SEEKING MEDICATION/SEEKING TREATMENT, ETC.), TYPE OF MENTAL HEALTH CONCERN (SUICIDE IDEATION/STRESS/ANXIETY/DEPRESSION/BI-POLAR, ETC.). THIS DATA TRACKING IS USED BY ALL OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ASSISTS IN GUIDING THE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS SET BY THESE ORGANIZATIONS.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CONNECT'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IS A NEWER INITIATIVE THAT PROVIDES FUNDING FOR THERAPY FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO OTHERWISE CANNOT AFFORD IT DUE TO A LACK OF INCOME OR INSURANCE. THIS PROGRAM, AVAILABLE IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH, ALLOWS APPLICANTS TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BY EXPLAINING THEIR FINANCIAL SITUATION AND MENTAL HEALTH STRUGGLE. OUR MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATES THEN REVIEW THE APPLICATION AND GENERALLY APPROVE THE APPLICANT TO RECEIVE FUNDING AT A RATE OF 85/SESSION FOR UP TO 12 SESSIONS. IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, AN APPLICANT MAY APPLY FOR AN EXTENSION TO RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING. THIS PROGRAM BENEFITS COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO MAY NOT HAVE OTHERWISE SOUGHT HELP FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. FROM THE INCEPTION OF CONNECT'S FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN MARCH 2022 - MARCH 2023, WE HAD APPROXIMATELY 30 APPLICATIONS. WE STRIVE TO INCREASE THIS NUMBER TO 60 PER YEAR, A 50% INCREASE. ALREADY IN 2023, WE HAVE HAD OVER 40 APPLICANTS, AND PROVIDED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN FUNDING FOR THERAPY FOR SOME OF THESE INDIVIDUALS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK THIS NUMBER IN AN EXCEL SPREADSHEET THAT IS UPDATED EACH TIME A PERSON FILLS OUT AN APPLICATION AND IS ACCEPTED. WE ALSO TRACK IF THE CLIENT IS A FIRST-TIME APPLICANT OR IS REQUIRING AN EXTENSION OF SERVICES.