Maryland Healthy Transition Initiative 5/31/2012 Believing in Youth Services Austin Texas 2012 John Coppola MHS State Project Director, Maryland HTI

Comparison of Transition Domains Between the General Population and Young People with EBD 2/3 except employes 1/2

Barriers Youth & Young Adult Level Family Level Community/System Level

Communication & need for collaboration

Healthy Transitions Initiative Five year federally-funded initiative aimed at: Designing and implementing a system of care to meet the needs of young adults with mental health needs as they transition to adulthood Improving the capacity of communities to effectively serve these youth and young adults

Goals: Youth/Young Adult Improve outcomes in the areas of: Education, Employment, Housing, and Decrease contacts with the juvenile and criminal justice systems

Community/Systems Level Goals: Increase awareness of community resources Enhance capacities to meet the needs of constituents Identify and mitigate systemic and bureaucratic barriers Develop mutually beneficial partnerships Ensure sustainability through adjusting policies to meet needs of communities

Objectives Consistent strengths-based coordinated care to provide seamless transition into adulthood Involvement in normative activities including employment and/or continuing education, and productive community contribution Family education, support and empowerment

Healthy transitions initiative Intensive transition facilitation includes assisting young adults to: Recognize, develop, & utilize their personal support system Navigate and coordinate various systems & services Participate in self-advocacy skill instruction Utilize naturally existing supports existing within their community

Youth Needs Are Front and Center Transition facilitators are working one on one with youth in the community Individual goals are developed and tackled one at a time, including lessons learned

Healthy Transitions Initiative Collaborating organizations include: Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration Child Welfare Governor’s Workforce Investment Board Criminal/Juvenile Justice System Maryland State Department of Education Maryland Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services (DORS)

Guiding Principles Engage youth and young adults in planning their own future Provide with developmentally-appropriate services and supports Involve youth, their families, and other informal key players in a process that prepares and facilitates them in their movement toward: O greater self-sufficiency and O successful achievement of their goals

Guiding Principles 1. Engage young people through relationship development, person-centered planning, and a focus on their futures 2. Tailor services and supports to be accessible, coordinated, appealing, non-stigmatizing, and developmentally-appropriate -- building on strengths to enable the young people to pursue their goals across relevant transition domains. 3. Acknowledge and develop personal choice and social responsibility with young people

Guiding Principles (cont.) 4. Ensure a safety-net of support by involving a young person’s parents, family members, and other informal and formal key players 5. Enhance young persons’ competencies to assist them in achieving greater self-sufficiency and confidence. 6. Maintain an outcome focus in the TIP system at the young person, program, and community levels 7. Involve young people, parents, and other community partners in the TIP system at the practice, program, and community levels

Aiming for Sustainable Practices Main collaborators requirements: School system – individualized transition planning with measurable postsecondary outcome goals DORS – meaningful employment for at least 90 days MHA – medical necessity criteria and continuity of relevant interventions

Policy Ramifications Align the definition of transitioning youth across state agencies Build a system of care for transitioning youth Youth-driven and family-guided Individualized approach Funding for vocational, educational and residential services Interagency coordination Evaluating the role of Medicaid expansion and health care reform in reimbursing the array of transition services Providing a continuity of care among various services and throughout the transition years, including use of non-traditional services or supports (e.g., supported employment) Bolstering workforce opportunities for behavioral health professionals trained to support the needs of transitioning youth

Healthy transitions initiative Action Steps: Take an honest look at systemic barriers Seek out and foster strategic collaborations that will minimize bureaucratic & systemic barriers Change policies whenever possible to support current efforts and facilitate New opportunities

How Do You Do This? Define population Identify systems and organizations who serve this population Seek potential visionary allies in the public mental health arena Identify community resources that may have similar goals Identify what is working and what is not working Establish a commitment from stakeholders Develop a shared vision(i.e. seamless transition for youth with emotional disabilities) Make a plan and do it

What have we learned Collaboration is critical Necessary to shift locus of power & share responsibility Look at communities with micro & macro perspective & be willing to do things differently in both perspectives

For more information contact John Coppola State Director, Maryland Healthy Transitions Initiative coppolahti@gmail.com (301) 788-0198