CONNEXUS BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DISABILITY ADVOCATES

PLANNING, DEVELOPING, AND OVERSIGHT OF REGIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEM AND SERVICES FOR CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND THEIR FAMILIES IN POLK COUNTY. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED TO BUILD UPON THE SERVICES DEVELOPED IN 2020 FOR CHILDREN, EXPANDING TO A FULL ARRAY OF SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES INCLUDING PREVENTION, EDUCATION, ACUTE AND CHRONIC BRAIN HEALTH CONDITIONS, CRISIS SERVICES, AND TRANSITIONAL CARE. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUED TO OVERSEE CONTRANCTS WITH NEARLY 30 LOCAL PROVIDERS, SERVING NEARLY 4,000 ADULTS AND CHILDREN. THROUGH COLLABORATION AND LEADERSHIP, THE AGENCY EMPOWERED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES FOR BETTER WELLBEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE ACROSS THEIR LIFESPAN. WORKFORCE ISSUES FACING THE HUMAN SERVICES FIELD WERE MAPPED. A WORKFORCE TASK FORCE WAS CREATED TO ADDRESS EACH ISSUE. EDUCATION, AWARENESS, AND MARKETING HELPED PROPELL THE START UP OF THIS WORK. CONSUMERS, PROVIDERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, EDUCATORS, AND ELECTED OFFICIALS JOINED THE EFFORT. RECOMMENDATIONS GENERATED FROM THIS INITIAL WORK WERE DISTRIBUTED TO ADVOCATES THROUGHOUT THE STATE INCLUDING LEADERS WITHIN THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, IOWA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AS WELL AS MANY ADVOCACY AGENCIES INCLUDING THE NETWORK OF PROVIDERS, GRANT FUNDERS AND OTHERS. THE ORGANIZATION PARTNERED WITH OTHER MENTAL HEALTH AND DISABILITY (MHDS) REGIONS TO LAUNCH AN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTING CAREERS IN HUMAN SERVICES. PCHS ALSO FEATURED SUCCESS STORIES OF THE INDIVIDUALS SERVED BY THE HUMAN SERVICES WORKFORCE, NOTING THE VALUE OF THESE SERVICES TO THE QUAILITY OF LIFE OF THE CLIENTS, THE PEACE OF MIND OF THEIR GUARDIANS AND FAMILY MEMBERS, AND THE SATISFACTION EMPLOYEES FEEL WHEN SUPPORTING THE GROWTH AND CARE OF THIS VULNERABLE POPULATION. PCHS DID RECEIVE A GRANT FOR CONTINUATION OF THIS WORK, BUT DUE TO THE SWIFT CHANGES REQUIRED TO TRANSFER A MAJOR CONTRACT TO POLK COUNTY GOVERNMENT, THAT GRANT AWARD WAS NOT EXECUTED. AGENCIES, LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND OTHERS EMBRACED THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND HAVE BEEN WORKING WITHIN THEIR SECTORS IMPLEMENTING THE RECOMMENDATIONS. PCHS CONTINUES TO WORK IN SUPPORT OF THE EXPANSTION OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, BRAIN HEALTH, AND DISABILITY WORKFORCE. INDEPENDED SURVEY OF CONSUMERS OF DISABILITY AND BRAIN HEALTH SERVICES AGAIN REPORTED EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH SATISFACTION RATES. DATA SHOWS EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT SERVICES HELP CLIENTS OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT. THOSE USING ONGOING SUPPORTIVE SERVICES REPORTED REDUCING INCARCERATION, HOMELESSNESS OR PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALIZATION BY MORE THAN 90%. THE MENTAL HEALTH MOBILE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM ALSO CONTINUES TO HAVE VERY POSITIVE RESULTS, PARTNERING WITH A LARGE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL CRISIS RESPONSE SUPPORT ON SCHOOL PROPERTY DURING THE REGULAR SCHOOL DAY. THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM EXPANDED STAFF TO INCLUDE EXPERTS IN SUPPORTING CHILDREN IN A BRAIN HEALTH CRISIS. PCHS WORKED WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS TO EXPAND TRAINING IN DE-ESCALATION TO INCLUDE DISPATCHERS. ALL THREE DISPATCH STATIONS' STAFF WERE FULLY TRAINED. THE LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITIES WORKED COLLABORATIVELY TO EXPAND THE DISPATCH AND RESPONSE TEAM TO INCLUDE MEMBERS OF THE MENTAL HEALTH MOBILE CRISIS TEAM WHO ARE ABLE TO BETTER IDENTIFY THE NEEDS OF THE INDIVIDUAL IN CRISIS AND COORDINATE ACROSS EMERGENCY RESPONSE AGENCIES TO ENSURE THE PROPER SUPPORTS ARE DISPATCHED. PCHS ALSO LED AN EFFORT TO COORDINATE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LOCAL SCHOOLS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN SUPPORT OF CHILDREN WHO ARE EXPOSED TO A TRAMATIC EXPERIENCE. THE PROJECT, "HANDLE WITH CARE", INCLUDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT EXPEDITES THE HANDLE WITH CARE NOTIFICATION GENERATED BY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AT THE SCENE OF A TRAUMATIC EVENT INVOLVING A CHILD TO THE CHILD'S SCHOOL PRINCIPAL AND SCHOOL COUNSELOR. THE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED IS FIRST IN THE NATION AND BEING SHARED AMONG OTHER HANDLE WITH CARE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE NATION. STUDENTS ARE BETTER SUPPORTED IN THEIR SCHOOLS AND CLASSROOMS, PARENTS APPRECIATE THE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOL, AND TEACHERS ARE MORE PREPARED TO MEET STUDENT NEEDS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDED LEADERSHIP IN A MULTI-AGENCY PLANNING TEAM THAT INCLUDED HEALTH CARE INSURANCE PROVIDERS, THE IOWA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, JUDICIAL ADVOCATES, MAGISTRATES, AND MHDS REGION LEADERS TO DEVELOP A STRATEGY THAT MEETS THE NEEDS OF PEOPLE REQUIRING INTENSIVE RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT AND FORENSIC PSYCHIATRIC CARE. THE WORK IS ONGOING. PCHS SPEARHEADED A BROAD INITIATIVE ADDRESSING THE VERY TROUBLING SPIKE IN SUICIDES AND ATTEMPTED AMONG VERY YOUNG CHILDREN, PREADOLESCENTS, TEENS, AND YOUNG ADULTS OCCURING IN THE MONTHS OF OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, AND JANUARY. WE WORKED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNTY CORONOR'S OFFICE, THE STATE DEPARMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AS WELL AS THE CDC TO DEVELOP AND DISPATCH IMMEDIATE RESOURCES TO SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, STUDENTS, YOUNG ADULTS, AND FAMILIES. WE REQUESTED SUPPORT FROM THE CDC WHO CONDUCTED A STUDY ON OUR COMMUNITY TO IDENTIFY COMMUNITY BASED ISSUES LEADING TO SUCH A RISE IN SUICIDES AND ATTEMPTED SUICIDES. WE EXECUTED AN EXPANSIVE MEDIA CAMPAIGN WITH MATERIALS DEVELOPED BY THE SUICIDE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND ENCOURAGED OTHER AGENCIES ACROSS THE STATE TO DO THE SAME. WE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE EDUCATION AND RESOURCE INFORMATION TO OUR COMMUNITY ON THE WARNING SIGNS OF SUICIDE AND THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE.

GROUP HOME SERVICES TO FURNISH, RENOVATE, AND REPAIR 75 GROUP HOMES THAT PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO PEOPLE LIVING WITH A BRAIN HEALTH CONDITION OR DISABILITY. PCHS OWNED HOMES PROVIDE HOUSING FOR APPROXIMATELY 280 INDIVIDUALS AND TRANSITIONAL ACUTE CARE FOR AN ADDITIONAL 30-50 PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE SERVICES THROUGH AN ACCREDITED FACILITY THAT SUPPORTS INDIVIDUALS WITH HIGH COMPLEX NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH DIVERTS EMERGENCY ROOM VISITS, INPATIENT HOSPITALIZATION AND INCARCERATION. OUR RESIDENTIAL, COMMUNITY BASED GROUP HOMES IMPROVE WELLBEING AND ACCESS TO FAMILY FOR THOSE WHO NEED ONGOING CARE.