FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Christine Mulvin
513-458-6621

Cincinnati— October 17, 2005—Four area organizations have been awarded grants totaling $762,713 to implement evidenced-based practices in mental health treatment.  Evidence-based practices are proven ways to treat illnesses.

“The Institute of Medicine has reported that less than a tenth of a percent of medical dollars are used on proven treatment programs,” said Donald Hoffman, president and CEO of the Health Foundation. “This is a highly inefficient way to take care of people.  With these four grants, we are investing in organizations that are implementing evidence-based practices into their treatment programs. This is a win-win for everyone!”

The four recipients are:

• Community Mental Health Center (CMHC):
    $278,000.  The CMHC was established in 1967 in Southeastern Indiana . CMHC provides mental health and addiction services that include inpatient, outpatient, residential and case management services.  CMHC employs 175 staff that provide services to over 3,400 clients per year.
  
• Transitional Living, Inc.:  $226,413. 
  Transitional Living Inc., located in Hamilton , Ohio , was founded in 1978. They provide case management, individual and group therapy, residential care and partial hospitalization services for 570 clients per year who have serious mental illnesses, including those with co-occuring substance use disorders.  
  

• Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center :
    $201,534.  The Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center was formed as a non-profit corporation in 1965.  They provide a variety of behavioral health services for youth and adults in Fayette, Highland , Pickaway, Pike and Ross Counties .  With a staff of 285, the agency provides services to approximately 10,000 people per year in seven clinic sites.
  
• Central Clinic:  $56,300. 
  Established in 1923, Central Clinic is a non-profit community mental health center which provides services for more than 5,000 people, 85 percent of whom have incomes of $10,000 or less.
  

Community Mental Health Center

This two-year $278,000 grant will allow Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) to implement an evidence-based practice, Supported Employment, which helps people with mental illnesses find and keep employment.

Supported Employment is a well-defined approach to helping people with disabilities participate in the competitive labor market. This approach allows them to work in jobs they prefer with the level of professional coaching they need.

“Employment is a critical element in recovery for many people with severe mental illnesses,” said Joe Stephens, executive director of CMHC. “Although research shows 70 percent of mental health consumers want to work, employment rates for this population are very low—in fact, only 5 percent of CMHC clients are employed. We provide some vocational services already, but we have a higher need than we can respond to.”

The grant funds a program coordinator and two additional employment specialists in the vocational program. Supported Employment services will be offered to CMHC clients with severe mental illnesses. CMHC estimates 105 clients will enroll and 60 will get and maintain jobs during the grant period.

Transitional Living, Inc

This two-year $226,413 grant will allow Transitional Living, Inc., to implement an evidence-based practice, Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT), for people with co-occurring mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

“Co-occurring disorders are very prevalent among those with mental illnesses,” said Mary Ann Price, director of operations at Transitional Living.  “Between 60-65 percent of our clients suffer from co-occurring disorders, and these clients also have higher rates of hospitalization, criminal justice involvement and housing instability.  This program ensures that both disorders are treated at the same time by one clinician or team.”

The grant funds will provide salaries and benefits for two full-time clinicians and partial support for a psychiatrist.  The IDDT team will serve up to 30 clients with co-occurring disorders in individual treatment at any one time. Also, Transitional Living will serve up to 200 clients with co-occurring disorders in group treatment.

Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center

This two-year $202,000 grant will allow Scioto Paint Valley Mental Health Center to start five IDDT teams.

“IDDT differs from traditional approaches in several ways,” said Dorris Landa, substance abuse coordinator. “The most important difference is the integration of mental health and substance abuse treatments. One clinician or team provides mental health and substance abuse treatments at the same time. This prevents clients from being lost, excluded or confused while switching between two programs.”

One of Scioto ’s five teams will be based in each of the five counties the organization serves. Each team would include a therapist, substance abuse coordinator and a case manager.  The teams could serve as many as 100 clients at any one time (20 per team).

Central Clinic

This two-year $56,300 grant will allow Central Clinic to provide recovery-oriented services to mentally ill consumers by educating staff in Illness Management and Recovery (IMR), an evidence-based practice.

“IMR is a recovery-focused approach that emphasizes self-efficacy and coping strategies for people with severe mental illnesses,” said Nelly Rimini, director of adult services.  “IMR educates individuals in psychiatric illnesses, prevention and medication while helping them prepare relapse prevention plans and strategies for managing persistent symptoms and other problems.”

This grant provides training for the staff in IMR principles, evaluation-related expenses, supplies and printing costs.

The Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati is an independent foundation dedicated to improving community health and access to health care for vulnerable populations. The Foundation awards grants to non-profit and governmental organizations for selected health programs and activities in Cincinnati and 20 surrounding counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. In 2004, the Health Foundation invested $10.5 million to support local health care programs that address the objectives of the Foundation's four focus areas and general community health.