Please join us for the Cultural Conversations Lunch and Learn Movie and Discussion.  The selection is “A Beautiful Mind”, directed by Ron Howard.  This Academy Award winning movie depicts the true story of mathematician John Nash and his wife as they struggle to manage his mental illness.  The film is rated PG-13.   We will watch the movie while eating lunch and then have a ½ hour discussion about the cultural themes of this particular movie.  The program is open to all Clermont County Residents and Agencies who are interested in participating and is offered for FREE.  Please bring your lunch.  Drinks and cookies will be provided. 

Please contact Mary Wolff at mwolff.ft@ccmhrb.org or call 633-1049 for more information.

Date:  Tuesday February 25, 2014

Location:  Child Focus Training Center

551B Cincinnati-Batavia Pike

Cincinnati, Ohio 45244

 By:  Jon Randol, Clinical Coordinator, Clermont County Family & Children First

The Clermont FAST TRAC wraparound program, provided through Clermont County Family and Children First, is a unique planning process for children, adolescents and families. The process is designed to emphasize family voice and choice in the decision making process. Each family has a team made up of professional and natural supports that they have selected to help identify needs and develop strategies for meeting them.  The process uses collaboration to effectively support the family as they learn new skills for managing the many issues that can surface in life. The plans are individualized and use individual and family strengths to help accomplish the identified outcomes. Whenever possible, services and meetings are conducted in the family’s home and community.  All plans have measurable outcomes, so that progress on meeting needs and goals can be monitored.  Each family’s culture, is identified, respected and used to help achieve results.

To access this process, a family must meet some minimal criteria, which is being a resident of Clermont County, the referred child/adolescent must have a mental health diagnosis and the child must be between the ages of 3 and 21 at the time of referral. Anyone can refer a child and family to wraparound. We have received numerous self referrals as well as referrals from Juvenile Court, Children’s Protective Services, Board of Developmental Disabilities and school districts.  You may make a referral by filling out a Wraparound referral form located on the FAST TRAC website at http://clermontfasttrac.org or by calling Jon Randol at 732-5413.

Jennifer Kleier came to Clermont County TIP after serving as a Young Adult Case Manager at Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services for 2 years.  Jennifer has been a Transition Facilitator on the Clermont County TIP team for the past year.  Prior to working at GCBHS, Jennifer worked at NorthKey Community Care for 3 years as an Adolescent Case Manager for a SAMHSA funded juvenile drug court program. 

Jennifer received her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Northern Kentucky University and also has a published article in the Journal of Neuropharmacology for research conducted while in school.  Jennifer is currently taking on the challenge of pursuing her Master’s degree in Social Work from NKU and plans to continue working with youth after she has graduated.  Jennifer recently received the 2011 CEO Choice Recipient Award through GCBHS for her work contributions with starting up the Clermont TIP program from implementation.

By:  Greg Pratt, LISW-S, TIP Team Supervisor, Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health

The TIP Program (Transition to Independence Process), provided here in Clermont County by Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services through Clermont FAST TRAC, has recently celebrated its one year of operation mark. TIP works with Youth/Young Adults between the ages of 16-21 to help them build skills to transition into adulthood more successfully. TIP utilizes an approach that helps the Youth/Young Adults identify and build on their own strengths, their own goals, their own hopes and dreams.  TIP’s role is to emphasize the choices and decision making power of each Youth/Young Adult.

The Youth/Young Adults in the program work one on one with a Transition Facilitator, who helps them develop plans around achieving their goals, identifying the people in their life that they would want to include in their plans and helping them to identify all possible options available to them (the good and bad ones).  TIP then allows them to make their own informed decision.  TIP stands by the Youth/Young Adults through the good and not-so-good decisions and allows them to experience the natural benefits and consequences of their choices.  TIP Youth who participate in the program have set and achieved goals in many areas, including living independently, finding and achieving employment, and continuing and completing their education, as well as more crisis oriented areas such as staying out of the psychiatric hospital and jail, and having fewer fights and arguments with family, friends or neighbors.  TIP offers Psychiatric and Counseling services for those who choose to explore those options.

To access TIP, the individual must meet some minimal criteria.  These criteria include,

• 16-21 years old,
• home residence of Clermont County,
• aging out of the Children’s Protective Services or Juvenile Court system,
• a mental health diagnosis,
• multi-need/ multi-system youth or eligible for multi–system services, and
• in need of additional support,
• at risk for out of home placement, or
• returning from out of home placement.

For more information about TIP or to make a referral please contact Greg Pratt at 513-354-1302. A referral form is also available on the Clermont FAST TRAC website http://www.clermontfasttrac.org.

By:  Gretchen Behimer, Project Director, Clermont FAST TRAC

In this issue of the FAST TRAC newsletter, the TIP program is highlighted.  The TIP program is for transition-aged youth, ages 16-21, to help them transition to adulthood with the skills necessary to be a productive member of our community. 

We know that “most 18-year-olds coming from intact families can expect emotional and financial support for years to come; in the U.S. the average age a young person with support leaves home is age 25.” (Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta website)  Many of the youth in “the system” have been in “the system” for many years, sometimes almost their entire lives.  The youth often have mental health challenges and have experienced childhood trauma. So, how can we expect youth aging out of the system to turn 18 with the skills necessary to live on their own, find a job, access services and be successful? 

We need to support these youth as they transition to adulthood and this is exactly what the TIP program does.  The TIP program follows the System of Care philosophies of youth-guided care, individualized care, utilizing natural supports, community-based care, culturally & linguistically competent care, strength-based care, and least restrictive care.  

Many of the youth currently in the TIP program have been in residential care and foster care for many years.  The transition to making their own decisions, learning to live on a budget, making meals, appropriately maintaining a living space and searching for and maintaining a job is not easy for anyone their age, especially those who may not have someone close to them that they can really talk to.  TIP offers the youth a person to support them through the learning process and cheer for them when achieve the goals that they have set for themselves.  To learn more about the TIP program, please take a look at Greg Pratt’s article.