Program Philosophy:

It is the philosophy of the Helping Hands Therapeutic Services (HH) Outpatient Mental Health Clinic (OMHC) programs to assist adult and minor persons served with developing and maintaining coping skills that facilitate adjustment and integration within their living environments and community. Clients and family members are empowered to make decisions about their care with the expected outcome of an increased quality of life. HH treatment services does not use any seclusion or physical restrain on a patient.

Program Description:

The OMHC programs are provided in a clinic setting. A wide range of services are organized within a comprehensive therapeutic environment that includes screening and assessment, diagnostic determination, individual and family counseling, psychiatric consultations, medication management, crisis intervention, group counseling, client advocacy, and referral to community resources. Clients are assigned to licensed clinicians who assist in individual planning and care. Services additionally include consultation with family and/or professional care providers.

Program Goals:

The overall goal of the OMHC program is to increase the quality of life through the provision of specialized outpatient mental health services.  Specific areas of focus may include:

1. Recovery
2. Vocation/Education
3. Parenting
4. Relationships
5. Spirituality
6. Copings skills
7. Anger management
8. Grief and loss

Program Objectives:

The OMHC programs seek to achieve the following specific objectives:

1. To improve mood and affect in daily living;
2. To improve social, familial, and social adjustment and integration; and
3. To reduce the need for a higher level of care.

Program Services/Continuum of Care:

The OMHC programs provide a continuum of care that ensures all clients and family members referred are evaluated and provided services and/or referred to primary and secondary service providers to meet their individual needs. The specific areas that demonstrate a continuum of care are as follows:

Referral sources: HH receives outside referrals for the OMHC program from the following sources:

• primary care physicians
• hospitals
• self-referrals
• court
• other mental health facilities
• outside mental health professionals
• Inpatient mental health facilities
• Substance abuse IOP’s
• Adult day program
• Residential treatment centers
• Partial hospitalization program

1. Screening and Intake/ Orientation: A screening and intake process is completed 14 days of the initial referral. During orientation process program services and rights of the patient are explained.
2. Diagnostic Assessment: During the assessment a licensed clinician identifies the strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences of each client explicitly for integration within an individual plan of care.
3. Psychiatric Evaluation: An individual is seen by the psychiatrist or/and nurse practitioner to further evaluate patient needs and formulate an appropriate diagnosis.
4. Individual Treatment Planning: An Individual Treatment Plan is developed with each consumer within the first 5 billable services performed by HH staff. The client is a full participant in the treatment planning and goals.  Objectives are then based on individual needs, strengths, abilities and preferences. Goals are stated in the client’s own language, and the client has open access to the individual plan upon request.
5. Individual, Group, and Family Therapy: Each client is assigned a licensed therapist who is responsible for the client’s coordination of care. Individualized, group, and/or family therapy sessions take place to assist the client in both individual treatment plan goals and objectives.
6. Crisis Intervention: Emergency response to mental health crisis is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. HH’s automated phone messaging system provides those we serve with an afterhours number which goes to one of the OMHC Office Manager as well as directions for going to the local hospital in certain situations.
7. Medication Management: Medication management is available to assist with an increase in life functioning. Through the services of qualified physicians, medications are prescribed and their efficacy is evaluated on an ongoing basis. Education is provided to individual clients regarding the effects, use, and expected outcomes of medication.
8. Psychosocial Education: Psychosocial education is available to clients, families, care providers in both individual and group formats and provided to assist with interpersonal relations, role performance, anger management, and communication skills.
9. Progress Reviews and Individual Plan Reformulation: Regular scheduled meetings are held with each client to review the progress of their individual goals and update and/or revise the Individual Plan. This process is completed every six months for adults and three months for children and adolescent.
10. Discharge/Transition Planning and Criteria: Discharge/transition planning occurs throughout all phases of the program. The person served has met discharge/transition criteria when the goals of the individual plan are achieved and referral to support services is completed, when appropriate. The following are potential criteria for discontinuation/transition of services:

• primary care physicians
• The client achieved treatment/rehabilitation goals
• The client moved out of the area
• The client, or family, elected to discontinue services
• The client refuses to adhere to program policies
• The client requires a higher level of care
• The client requires a lower level of care
• Administrative Reasons
• Other

Continuum of Care: Collaboration with outside providers and stakeholders is established through completion of forms, professional phone consultation, collaboration with external patient support, and collaboration with HH internal providers. Patients and their family/support system are included in the creation of the individual treatment plans, which helps HH in sharing information regarding treatment. Through the authorization process the payer/funding sources are continually informed through the completion of the Outcome Measurement System (OMS) pertaining to the continuation of care. The general public can access information about HH through HH’s website (www.committedtochange.com), brochures, as well as our presence in the community.

Mechanisms to Address the Needs of Special Populations:

The OMHC programs address the special needs of the clients served through the development and ongoing monitoring and modification of the Individual Treatment Plan. Through this process, the strengths, abilities, needs, preferences and desired outcomes will be developed based on the unique qualities of the clients served. Specific accommodations to address special needs may include the following; amplification devices and writing boards for use with hearing impaired clients, magnification sheets for the visually impaired, and language interpretation of non-English speaking clients.

Support of Adequate Resources to Deliver Programming:

The OMHC programs are supported through multiple processes that ensure adequate resources are available to provide programming consistent with the established goals. The processes are as follows:

1. Annual Budget Process: The annual budget process involves an annual assessment of all program’s resource needs. All Office Managers meet with site staff and seeks input regarding resources to support the program. After the preliminary budget is finalized, each Office Manager is provided an opportunity to provide feedback to the Chief Operating Officer in regards to possible outcome effects of decreased line items. After the final budget is approved, the needs of the programs are assessed monthly at the management team’s meeting and funding can be modified depending on the needs and circumstances of individual programs.
2. Performance Improvement/Outcome Management: The outcome management system is utilized by Office Managers at each site to review and assess the level in which program goals and objectives are being met. Areas that are not meeting program goals and objectives are reviewed to determine if adjustments in areas such as personnel, facilities, and other resources are needed to support the program goals. The Office Managers utilize this information to make resource allocation decisions for program support.
3. Strategic Planning: HH participates in an ongoing strategic planning process through developing and monitoring its short and long-range strategic plan goals and objectives. Strategies to support the goals of the OMHC program is included in the plan.

In keeping with this mission, Helping Hands Therapeutic Services maintains a diverse staff to accommodate the needs of the diverse population of those we serve. Additionally, staff are expected to take necessary measures to provide services to those we serve ensuring that our care is individualized to each person we serve. Helping Hands Therapeutic Services (HH) does not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, disability, religion, age, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation or other non-medically relevant factors. This applies to admission, treatment, discharge, or other participation in any of HH’s programs, services or activities..