Hope

Step Up on Second Client Run Center (CRC)

Our Purpose

For the past 22 years Step Up on Second has held true to our mission statement: “To involve individuals with severe and persistent mental illness in developing opportunities to reintegrate into the community. Step Up is dedicated to long term support of people in recovery and their families, offering quality housing, educational, social and work experiences. Step Up is committed to increasing public understanding and acceptance of mental illness”. Step Up will fulfill that mission by the addition of the PSP staff and programs.

Step Up provides a quality psycho-social rehabilitation program and center where wellness and recovery are integrated into all activities and services provided to our members. The Second Street location is a full service out-patient community mental health center which provides meals, homeless hygiene services, groups, socialization, vocational training and employment, housing assistance in addition to MediCal/DMH rehabilitation services (mental health, case management, medication and crisis management). The new site will have more limited support services and focus on psychosocial activities groups and community education for families.

Program Goals, Services and Outcomes

Goals

Step Up will establish a Peer Services Program (PSP) at our current multi-service center in Santa Monica. The Santa Monica PSP will increase peer oversight in the day-to-day operations of the center to coordinate wellness and recovery planning and psychosocial groups and activities. The program will employ peer advocates who have completed a certificated program. The intention of the PSP is for consumers who have achieved their own success, to model the possibilities and promise of wellness and recovery “starting where the member is” at intake or engagement. The PSP targets mentally ill adults (26-59) who participate in general services at Step Up, but who are not case managed by professional staff and who are ready to take increasing responsibility for their own wellness and recovery. PSP will also target mentally ill adults who are “treatment resistant” or otherwise have difficulties with services based on the medical model.

Step Up will also open a new Peer Support Program site in SA 5 outside of the City of Santa Monica also run by trained consumers and family members for focused Wellness and Recovery activities as well as community education and outreach to family members. The site location is in the planning stages. The new site will be open to existing Step Up members and new participants from the community or referred by other agencies and programs.

Membership Qualification and Process

Membership in all Step Up programs requires that an adult between 18 and 55 year of age be a consumer of mental health services. The new programs will focus on adults 26-59 years of ages. All new members will complete an intake application with a staff member which includes essential history and background of mental health, family, current living situation and reasons for wanting to join our program. General member participation requirements are minimal, although we do encourage members to attend at least 3 groups per week and volunteer at meals or other tasks. Some members qualify for or request more comprehensive services provided by one of Step Up’s DMH, City of Santa Monica Homeless or Department of Rehabilitation grants. Our internal intake review board evaluates all intakes over a 30 day period and determines which Step Up program best suits a new member’s stated needs. The member is then assigned to one of several programs within the agency, including the new Peer Services Program. PSP participants will engage individually or in groups with PSC to work on a Wellness and Recovery plan. Once a member is part of the community they are a member for life. If they have been inactive for more than one year or their situation has significantly altered an undated intake may be required.

General Member Services

The PSP staff enhance the current Member Services team through peer supervision in the day-to-day operations of Step Up’s multi-service center to coordinate integrated wellness and recovery planning for targeted clients, and oversee peer support groups, healthy living activities (e.g., coordinating the provision of showers, laundry service, mail delivery, and computer access for homeless members), life skills classes, new member orientations, vocational classes, and the daily meals and other homeless services.

Groups

The program will provide support groups for members. Support groups allow member to form relationship and learn from the experiences of others. Support groups are developed out of the needs identified within the member census and most will be led by Peer Services Coordinators and Advocates. Self-help groups will acknowledge everyone as peers, and group leadership will be rotated. Peer Services staff will model and train members how to lead self-help groups.

In-reach and Engagement

The Peer Services Coordinators will be responsible for identifying Step Up members who do not participate in case management and/or who are treatment resistant or otherwise have had problems recovering through services based on the medical model. Peer Services staff will support members by approaching isolated members within the program, developing non-demanding relationships modeling appropriate behavior and/or accompanying them in the community such submitting job applications to employers, banking, and shopping.

Wellness Recovery Action Plans

PSC will be trained to develop and support Wellness Recovery Action Plans (WRAP) for members who have expressed interest in or have been identified as needing additional support. Peer Services Coordinators will work with 50-75 Step Up members annually and help develop plans individually, in pairs, or in groups. Coordinators will support members to develop plans that address daily maintenance, triggers, early warning signs, when things are breaking down, crisis plan, and a post-crisis plan. PSC will meet with these members individually or in groups for follow-up and support of their plan. The PSP will also oversee and facilitate services for an additional 100-125 members annually at the SM location.

Vocational Skills Training and Job Coaching

Members are encouraged to learn job skills as part of their WRAP. Members who although disabled by their mental illness can and are willing to work may enroll in the Vocational Program. The vocational program include s work readiness groups on-site, supervised training programs, paid stipend positions and evaluations and referrals to the Department of Rehabilitation for employment in the community. Those who complete the work readiness group will have an opportunity to train in the catering department. The Peer Catering/Job Coach, who will be responsible for overseeing Step Up’s catering program, provides individual training and support in all areas including meal planning, food preparation, food service, and clean-up. The PCJC plays and invaluable role in helping other consumers pursue and meet their employment goals.