Subject:
Title
Grant award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for Technical Assistance for the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval by the County Administrator of the year four technical assistance grant award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) services for individuals with serious mental illness.
• The funding will support year four technical assistance for the AOT grant program.
• AOT provides court ordered involuntary, outpatient treatment services to individuals meeting statutory criteria. Through July 31, 2021, the program has served 107 clients.
• The grant provides $25,000.00 for technical assistance apart from the base award of $997,160.00 per year; Yearly awards totaled $1,022,160.00 ($997,160.00 base award + $25,000.00 technical assistance supplement) for a four-year total award of $4,088,640.00.
• There is no match or cost sharing requirements.
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Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.2 Be a facilitator, convener and purchaser of services for those in need
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and our Customers
5.1 Maximize partner relationships and public outreach
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources
Summary:
Pinellas County received the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) AOT grant Notice of Award on 9/27/2018. Partners collaborated to set up the AOT operating procedures and the program accepted the first client in February of 2019. As of July 31, 2021, there were 23 active AOT clients with a total of 107 clients served since the program’s inception.
The AOT program allowed the County to implement a new program within the mental health system to address an unmet need for individuals with a serious mental illness (SMI) who have been court-ordered to treatment. The County’s goals are to 1) reduce Baker Act re-admission rates among this population; 2) reduce interactions with law enforcement due to non-compliance with court orders; 3) improve integration with primary medical care and preventive health services; and 4) integrate key community programs including the jail diversion program with the courts, Public Defender’s Office, public receiving facilities and treatment providers.
This program added a new, dedicated treatment team within the community to focus on the ongoing stabilization of individuals under civil commitment. The County anticipates serving 181 clients over the lifetime of the grant.
Background Information:
The County sought to increase capacity of services and evidence based mental health services to approximately 181 adult individuals over the four-year grant program who have a SMI and have been court-ordered to receive treatment services. Serious mental illness includes those with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, delusional disorder, and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Individuals with SMI have higher rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and hypertension, which negatively affect their quality of life and life expectancy. In addition, the symptoms associated with SMI often impair therapeutic compliance and self-care, resulting in higher rates of morbidity and mortality.
The County has partnered with the County’s designated public receiving facility, Personal Enrichment for Mental Health Services (PEMHS), Directions for Living, the Public Defender’s Office, and Pinellas County’s Sixth Judicial Circuit for coordinated referral, treatment and supportive services. By assisting clients with discharge planning following assessment and evaluation, the program will provide a stable foundation to receive treatment for the client’s mental health disorders. Individuals receive coordinated behavioral health services in a timely manner, reduce their chance for readmission or arrest, and benefit from a full array of services to ensure successful treatment outcomes.
Fiscal Impact:
The four-year federal grant award totals $4,088,640.00 with $1,022,160.00 annually ($997,160.00 base award + $25,000.00 technical assistance supplement). There is no match required. Appropriation to support the technical assistance supplement is not consistent with the development of the FY22 tentative budgets for Human Services, Judiciary and the Public Defender. A resolution supplementing the FY22 budget recognizing the additional funds in the amount of $25,000.00 will be brought forward separately, if needed.
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Personal Enrichment for Mental Health Services (PEMHS)
Directions for Living
Pinellas County Public Defender’s Office
University of South Florida, Florida Mental Health Institute
Pinellas County’s Sixth Judicial Circuit
HCA Largo Medical
BayCare
Attachments:
Notice of Grant Award