Central Psychiatric Clinic

311 Albert Sabin Way
Cincinnati, OH 45229
513-558-6501

Project Title
Community Criminal Justice Center--SAMI Team
Grant Description
To facilitate reentry of adults with co-occuring substance use and mental health disorders into the community from the Hamilton County Justice Center
Focus Area
Joint Substance Abuse/Severe Mental Illness\Criminal Justice
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$300,000
Year Awarded
2002
Grant Duration
36 months

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Project Title
Criminal Justice Assertive Community Treatment Team
Grant Description
To provide Assertive Community Treatment to offenders with co-occurring mental illnesses and substance use disorders in the Hamilton County criminal justice system
Focus Area
Severe Mental Illness
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$250,000
Year Awarded
2005
Grant Duration
24 months

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Project Title
Functional Family Therapy for Adolescents at Risk for Neglect and Abuse
Grant Description
to implement an evidence-based treatment for at-risk adolescents and their families
Focus Area
Other Health
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$300,000
Year Awarded
2006
Grant Duration
12 months

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Project Title
Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) Model Training and Implementation
Grant Description
To provide recovery-oriented services to mentally ill consumers by educating staff in Illness Management and Recovery, an evidence-based practice
Focus Area
Severe Mental Illness
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$56,300
Year Awarded
2005
Grant Duration
25 months

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Project Title
SAMI Collaborative Implementation Project
Grant Description
To create, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of common policies and procedures for individuals with co-occuring substance abuse and mental disorders
Focus Area
Joint Substance Abuse/Severe Mental Illness\Co-occurring Disorders
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$207,700
Year Awarded
2000
Grant Duration
12 months
Results This innovative project is an 18-month implementation grant to improve substance abuse and mental illness (SAMI) services in Hamilton County. It follows a planning initiative developed by representatives from the Hamilton County Community Mental Health Board, Hamilton County Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, MHAP, The Coalition of Behavioral Health, and Recovery Link.

One result of the planning effort was to invite NAMI of Hamilton County, the Counseling Department of U.C., the Hamilton County Department of Human Services, Hamilton County Sheriff, Hamilton County Juvenile Court, Hamilton County Probation, consumers, and the United Way to collaborate on the implementation grant. Representatives from these systems formed a "leadership team." Their mission is to develop a truly integrated system of care for persons with SAMI co-occuring disorders with each doorway in their respective system being the "right door."

The initiative addresses the needs of persons with SAMI co-occuring disorders and their families, and considers services that are culturally relevant, gender specific, and age-appropriate. The goal is to reduce homelessness and recidivism in correctional and hospital settings, increase access to services and improve the quality of life of individuals with SAMI co-occuring disorders. The project will foster a better understanding of the experiences of someone using the integrated system. To ensure the success of the project, it will be administered by a director, a leadership team, and an oversight team.

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Project Title
Social Security Disability Collaborative Project
Grant Description
To create a cross-system collaborative to improve the process for Social Security disability applications in Hamilton County
Focus Area
Severe Mental Illness
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$87,000
Year Awarded
2007
Grant Duration
12 months

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Project Title
Substance Abuse and Mental Illness (SAMI) Community Assessment Project
Grant Description
To fund a comprehensive planning process for the dually-diagnosed substance abuse and mentally ill population
Focus Area
Joint Substance Abuse/Severe Mental Illness\Co-occurring Disorders
Region Served
Hamilton County, OH
Award Amount
$64,333
Year Awarded
1999
Grant Duration
18 months
Results Throughout the grant period, a working team met every two weeks. A leadership team met on a monthly basis to direct the working team in gathering and analyzing data and making planning recommendations. Focus groups with consumers, family members, and case managers were held to determine barriers and gaps in the current system. A national consultant was hired for the final six months of the project to help advise the teams in developing the "No Wrong Door" philosophy into an implementation plan.

The project accomplished its goals. In addition to collecting and analyzing data regarding dually diagnosed adults in Hamilton County, the project began a collaboration that involved mental health, substance abuse, and criminal justice systems in working with this population. "No Wrong Door" became the philosophical goal for all three systems in dealing with the SAMI population. A planning document was produced to guide future work and an implementation proposal was submitted to the Foundation in February 2001.

The project’s goals achieved and work products completed by the end of the planning phase include:

  • a profile of Hamilton County citizens with co-existing mental health and substance use disorders,
  • quantitative and qualitative data about existing mental health and substance abuse services,
  • gaps identified in existing services for persons with SAMI co-occurring disorders,
  • a matrix of both existing and needed services and providers,
  • investigation of best practice models of SAMI service delivery, and
  • consensus built among major stakeholders of what constitutes an effective integrated delivery system of care for SAMI clients.

The major findings of the needs assessment include:

  • 50% of clients served by mental health providers have substance use disorders.
  • There are no clear data regarding those with substance use disorders having mental illnesses because mental health diagnoses are not collected by substance abuse treatment providers.
  • Case managers report that they need 4-6 times more time when providing services for SAMI than for severely mentally disturbed clients.

Facilitators of the planning process included:

  • use of a national expert who had worked in a similar collaborative project in another metropolitan area and
  • willingness of the agencies to spare key staff for frequent meetings.

Barriers to the planning process included:

  • lack of access to and limited availability of quantitative data and
  • lack of initial involvement of consumers, family members, and representatives of systems outside of behavioral health.

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