MODELS FOR PRACTICE
FOCUS
AREA: MENTAL HEALTH AND MENTAL DISORDERS
Program
Name: Pro Bono Counseling Program, Mental Health Association of the New River
Valley, Inc.
Location:
Healthy People 2010 Objective: 18
Web Address: http://www.mhanrv.org
The Pro Bono Counseling Program is designed to
provide mental health services to those who are low to moderate income,
uninsured, and ineligible for Medicaid. Through partnerships with local mental
health providers, the program provides free mental health services to eligible
adults, children, and families. The program also provides free prescription
services. Currently, the program serves 280 persons per year and provides
nearly $45,000 in free psychiatric medications. Each patient receives an average
of seven units of counseling or medication-related services.
Blueprint: The Pro Bono Counseling
Program provides mental health counseling and psychiatric services to low to
moderate-income individuals up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level
(FPL). The program’s clients are uninsured and/or ineligible for assistance
programs such as Medicaid. It delivers free mental health services, short-term
solution-focused counseling, and medication evaluations. The program currently
partners with 35 mental health providers throughout the 1,400 square mile
region, with nearly 40 percent of the mental health providers donating their
time. To expand their pool of service providers, the program also partners with
local universities. Unlicensed graduates of masters and Ph.D. programs in
mental health related fields see four clients per week; the program pays a
qualified supervisor to provide the required clinical supervision once a week.
Services are delivered in the provider offices as well as during special clinic
nights and at nonprofit locations such as libraries in the more rural areas.
Additionally,
the program coordinates medication evaluations. While pharmaceutical companies
provide free samples, the program also uses a voucher system to pay for
medications when free samples are not available. The program also benefits from
The Pharmacy Connection software, which expedites applications to
pharmaceutical companies’ indigent drug programs.
Making a Difference: To measure the program’s
effectiveness, an outcome and satisfaction survey is annually administered to
randomly selected clients. All responding clients report they would refer a
friend to the program. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest satisfaction
rating), the program has received a rating of nine. Outcome measurement finds
that nearly 60 percent of clients complete their treatment, and there is a
no-show rate of only 10 percent. Severity of symptoms and difficulties in work
life and personal life were cut in half.
Beginnings: The Pro Bono Counseling
Program is a collaborative initiative of the New River Valley Partnership for
Access to Healthcare (PATH). PATH is a community-focused alliance comprised of
over 40 health and human services organizations, community organizations, and
businesses. PATH was created to address the health concerns of the New River
Health District, which consists of 1,400 square miles encompassing rural and
suburban regions in southwest Virginia. A needs assessment conducted in 1996
revealed stress, anxiety, and depression occurred in 31 percent of the homes
surveyed, prompting the need for increased access to mental health services.
The
Mental Health Association of New River Valley serves as the coordinating agency
for the Pro Bono Counseling Program. The program began with receipt of a
four-year grant from a local hospital foundation. Using the grant money, the
Pro Bono Counseling Program has grown and currently has three part-time paid
staff who coordinate the clinical services provided by the volunteer and
trainee providers.
Challenges and Solutions: One of the foremost
challenges encountered by the Pro Bono Counseling Program is the pursuit of
funding sources. While a local hospital foundation provided initial funding,
the Pro Bono Counseling Program sought and received additional funding from a
statewide health care foundation. In addition, the program faced challenges in
recruiting mental health provider volunteers. By partnering with local
universities, post-graduate, license-eligible trainees are utilized to provide
direct services to clients and also gain valuable experience. Medicaid
requirements in the state of Virginia require that state mental health agencies
see only the priority population (defined as severe and emergency). Therefore,
as fewer patients are seen by state agencies, more patients seek the services
of the Pro Bono Counseling Program.
The
majority of the program’s clients are referred by word of mouth; however, the
program does utilize a variety of other marketing tools to publicize their
program. The program advertises through program brochures and ads in the
newspaper. It recently initiated an anti-stigma campaign to address societal
barriers to seeking mental health care.
The
program has received a number of awards. It won the 2000 Innovation in
Programming Award by the National Mental Health Association. It was also a
semifinalist for the American Psychiatric Association’s Golden Community Award
and the Premier Cares Award.
Finally,
to offer the opportunity for other areas of the country to replicate the
program, the program offers a Program Development Guide, which includes a
program handbook and all the forms and documents (including the original grant)
needed for other sites to create their own Pro Bono Counseling Program. The
guide may be purchased from the program.
Amy
Forsyth-Stephens, Executive Director
Mental
Health Association of the New River Valley, Inc.
Pro
Bono Counseling Program
303
Church St.
Blacksburg,
VA 24060
Phone:
(540) 951-4990
Fax:
(540) 951-5015
E-mail:
mhainfo@mhanrv.org