AVERTING A CRISIS: COMMUNITY OF HOPE EXPANDS ITS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
By: Whitney Hicks, Development Associate
There is no doubt that mental health is an important aspect of overall healthcare. This is especially true for our housing residents and clinic patients who are homeless, living in poverty, and dealing with multiple stressors in their lives. Many of the people we serve have suffered significant trauma, abuse or neglect, which creates a lack of hope for the future. This depression can then lead to substance abuse, domestic violence, and teen pregnancy. The lack of stable housing, affordable or available healthcare, and support networks can compound existing mental health issues or lead to the development of new ones.
During 2008, 56% of the adults in Community of Hope’s Girard Street family shelter were found to have a mental health issue, mostly depression. Though residents with mental health issues are always referred for treatment, access can be difficult. Community of Hope’s housing residents and clinic patients have Alliance (a publicly-funded insurance plan), Medicaid, or are uninsured. While Medicaid provides coverage for mental healthcare, finding providers who accept it is challenging. Those with Alliance have no mental health coverage at all. And in a move that will surely compound the problem, the DC government recently announced that it will be closing several public mental health centers – the ones most likely to be used by our residents and patients. There is also a stigma associated with getting mental health services for both adults and children.
To fill the gap, last year Community of Hope hired Najiya Shana’a, a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), to provide our clinic patients and housing residents with mental health services. In just 6 short months, Najiya has expanded our behavioral health program and reached out to close to 100 clients in need. The goal of therapy is to help people enhance their coping skills, take better care of themselves, and live healthy and productive lives. Speaking about our mental health program, Najiya says, “We are integrating behavioral health into the primary healthcare setting. By using a holistic approach that focuses on both medical and mental health, our clients are able to see how both aspects are important to their health and overall well-being.”
Besides seeing patients referred to her by our clinic providers and housing case managers, Najiya runs parenting groups for parents of kids who attend the Marie Reed Elementary School (on whose property our health clinic is located). Participants learn effective disciplinary practices, anger management, and non-violent conflict resolution – skills that assist parents in raising healthy and happy children. Community of Hope also employs Willa Day Morris, LICSW, part-time to meet with clients in the housing programs and work with staff members on issues such as burnout and motivating clients.
There is still more to be done. While we have received funding from the Health Coverage Foundation to hire a part-time therapist and a parttime psychiatrist to serve people without insurance, we are also trying to identify providers to work with children. For the long-term, we need to figure out how to pay for much-needed mental health services in all of our programs. With an expanded behavioral health program, Community of Hope is moving forward to meet a major need in our community – and helping people to live healthier and happier lives.
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