Case study presentations highlight innovative projects or initiatives addressing a complex community level behavioral health challenge through multi-sector partnerships.
Making Connections for Mental Health and Wellbeing Among Men and Boys: In this session, representatives from three communities involved in the Making Connections for Mental Health and Wellbeing Among Men and Boys initiative (San Diego, Chicago, and Albuquerque) discuss how their work has shifted from upstream prevention, policy and systems change to offering support during the double pandemic of COVID 19 and racial injustice. The conversation is wide ranging and focused on inequities, centering community needs, and the importance of partnerships and collaboration. Making Connections is a 13-site initiative to improve the lives of men and boys of color and military service members and veterans.
Comprehensive, Continuous Integrated System of Care in Action: In 2000, The County of San Diego recognized that mental health and substance use treatment services were siloed and the system was not functioning as an integrated, no wrong door, system of care. Individuals seeking services were being turned away from care if they had co-occurring challenges. Recognizing the need for change, a collaborative effort to reform services was initiated jointly by County and Providers to better serve our community.
Utilizing Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Regional Health Information Exchange Data to Support Patients With or at Risk for Developing Opioid Use Disorders: The Camden Coalition works with primary care, behavioral health, and other community providers to explore strategies to prevent and address the impact of opioid misuse in Camden. This is a case study in utilizing behavioral health partnerships, data, and targeted therapy to work to better address underlying trauma for patients with or at risk for substance use disorder.
The Tulsa Coalition for Methamphetamine Recovery: Methamphetamine use in Tulsa, Oklahoma was increasing; arrests relative to other substances had risen, meth had become more potent and less expensive, and was the most common primary substance among people entering residential treatment. In response, the Healthy Minds Policy Initiative built upon existing programs and developed new partnerships using a collective impact approach to design a more comprehensive, evidence-based and coordinated meth treatment system. This podcast briefly presents the process for creating this new system and plans for evaluation.
The Use of Citizen’s Panels in Mental Health Improvement: This podcast describes work undertaken in Jersey, Channel Islands where community engagement was a fundamental component of the development of a population based behavioral health strategy. The discussion focuses on the use of a Citizen’s Panel to engage with and include communities in the shaping of plans for improving behavioral health services and the ongoing impact of that work. It demonstrates the importance of such approaches in improving health planning and outcomes.
The Early Bird Fund: Early Bird is a first-of-its-kind, clinic-based higher education scholarship program for infants in low-income families. An initiative of The Impact Factory at UT Austin, Early Bird envisions an America where every growing child has growing savings for higher education. In collaboration with four key partners, Early Bird offers milestone-based incentives that encourage healthy behaviors today by rewarding them with scholarship dollars that will help children and families succeed tomorrow.
Community Development Partnerships: New Opportunities and Resources for Improving Mental and Behavioral Health: Build Healthy Places Network (BHPN) collaborated with NeighborWorks America (NWA) to produce a series of factsheets highlighting what makes community development (CD) an important partner in addressing mental health and issues of social isolation. In this presentation, Ruth Thomas-Squance, Director of Field Building at Build Healthy Places Network and Romi Hall, Director of Healthy Homes and Communities at NeighborWorks America, will introduce the CD sector and discuss the opportunities and challenges for health and CD partnerships by sharing case studies presented in the factsheets.
Diabetes Peer Support – Tackling Challenges of Mental Health Co-morbidities: Support is an important component of Diabetes management. Many people living with Diabetes have received their diagnosis, been prescribed medications and given instructions on some lifestyle changes that are necessary for management. However, many patients leave their doctor appointments with unanswered questions and a ton of mixed emotions. This is where support comes in. Being around a group of peers, people who are dealing with Diabetes just like you, can assist you with understanding what is going on and how to navigate through life’s challenges while managing Diabetes.
Building Resilience and Advancing Health Equity – Experiences from the Intersections Initiative: “Building Resilience and Advancing Health Equity: Experiences from the Intersections Initiative” presents a snapshot of upstream, equity focused coalition efforts in California. Perspectives from Napa’s Community Leaders Coalition and the St Joseph Community Partnership Fund highlight how the community and the initiative have made important pivots in a year marked by COVID-19 and other devastating events like CA wildfires.
