NYS Success: Connecting Systems of Care

with Children and Families

Child and Family Support ProgramMental Health Association of Erie County

October 29, 2015

Agenda

Child & Family Support Program (CFSP)• Description of CFSP Services• Program History • Partnership with Psychiatric Hospitals• Youth Peer Support• Family and Youth Perspective

Child and Family Support Program

• Provides Family Peer Support Services and youth peer support services

• community and hospital-based programs • Family Support Partners working with hospitals have had a

family member who has been hospitalized • Family Support Partners complete the Parent

Empowerment Program (PEP) Training and obtain a Family Peer Advocate Credential.

• MHA Support Partners listen to families and transition-age youth, share information about support services, and offer the opportunity for a follow-up call after discharge.

Program History• Our work with the hospitals grew over time. Work

over at least 10 years to build a trust. This includes a growing understanding of the role of Family Peer Support.

• Memo of Understanding established with BryLin Hospital and Erie County Medical Center in February 2012

• Providers could develop this capacity internally, but this make sense given the Child and Family Support Program’s expertise and community connections.

Partnership with Psychiatric Hospitals

• Consents allow Family Support Partner to follow-up immediately with families and after discharge.

BryLin – to family during child’s stay & after dischargeErie County Medical Center – follow-up call within 3-5 days of receipt of consent

• Community-based safety net providing post-acute discharge support

• Upon discharge from hospital, link to community resources and support following visit:– Self-help groups– Mental health providers– MHA Child & Family Support Program– System of Care/SPOA/Family Voices Network– Family Support Groups (ECMC, MHA, NAMI, BPC)

BryLin

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ECMC

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2012 2013 2014Spoken With 1,385 2,669 6,194

Consents 534 861 2,266

Community Partners/Collaborators• Erie County Department of Mental Health

– Family Voices Network• FamiliesCAN• Children’s Guild Foundation• UB School of Social Work/area colleges• Parent Network• Mental Health Peer Connection• Compeer

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Consent for Follow-Up

Why have we experienced success?• We are meeting families where they are - on the

units when families are visiting. • Face to face engagement by peers.• Families are busy, working, often hard to stay for

support group. • CFSP is calling families and patients at the time that is

best for them – often evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Accomplishments• Increase in families attending CFSP Family Support Group

and 20 Something Support Group, 46 families referred to CFSP in 2014 after meeting family/young adult in the hospital.

• Families linked to CFSP respite program, teen support group, Expression through Art program, Social skills groups, etc.

• Families report that they feel better supported and are linked to community resources as a result of follow-up calls.

Youth Peer Support

Caitlin NeumannYouth Peer Mentor

Mental Health Association of Erie County, Inc.

Youth Peer Support

• What is Youth Peer Support?• Why it’s valuable - Youth have a voice• Qualifying factors• Community teen support group• Youth Panels• Out of the Darkness Walk• Youth Power!

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Hope and Recovery

Youth Peer Support in the Hospitals

• BryLin Hospital • Erie County Medical Center• Link from hospital to community• Expansion of youth peer support/build a team

Youth Peer Paperwork

• Topic/Activity Worksheet– Goal of the activity– Supplies needed– Estimated Timeframe– Skills Shared– Handouts– Backup plan

• Youth Peer Report– Number of youth – Activity/Discussion

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Family and Youth Perspective

• Connection from Hospital to Community• Catalina Quevedo (parent)• Natalia Quevedo (youth)• Importance of Community Programs

Mental Health Associationof Erie County, Inc.

Child & Family Support Program

www.eriemha.org

Jenny Laney Director, Child & Family Support Programlaney@eriemha.org 716-886-1242 x-313

Caitlin NeumannPeer Mentorcneumann@eriemha.org 716-936-6045