CCSI News and Updates
This month’s newsletter highlights some exciting work taking place in Monroe County using local data from the most recent Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which has been augmented to include information about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) as well as indicators of resilience. This rich and unique data source is supporting work by a broad array of community partners aimed at enhancing our collective understanding of trauma exposure among students in our community, the correlation between trauma and risky behavior and poorer health outcomes -- as well as steps that can be taken to increase resilience and reduce these risks.  
 
You’ll also find links to recent presentations, project updates, and other resources we hope you’ll find helpful. We’d love to hear your ideas about future newsletter content, so be sure to answer our quick poll question at the bottom of the newsletter, or share your feedback and questions by e-mailing us at askccsi@ccsi.org . – Anne Wilder
Kasserian Ingera - And How Are the Children?
“ Kasserian Ingera" (which translates to “and how are the children?”), is the traditional greeting passed between Masai warriors in Africa. This everyday greeting shows the high value they place on their children’s well-being – as a reflection of the well-being of their entire society. Even warriors without children of their own use the greeting, and when life is good, warriors respond back with, “All the children are well.” This concept provides a perfect backdrop to some exciting work taking place in the Rochester area – From ACEs to Assets: Growing Resilience in Monroe County

National research has demonstrated that experiencing traumatic events before age 18 can create dangerous levels of stress, which impacts healthy brain development if there is no intervention or support. As youth get older, exposure to trauma can increase the likelihood they will engage in risky behaviors and have more incidents of poor mental and physical health outcomes in later years. An accumulation of these adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) compounds these risks.

In 2015, the Monroe County Office of Mental Health partnered with the Department of Public Health and local school districts to include 11 ACE questions in the Youth Risk and Behaviors Survey (YRBS). This groundbreaking initiative:

  • Provided a detailed descriptive analysis of students’ ACE scores along with general demographics – including the relationship between a student’s ACE score and academic achievement;

  • Illustrated the clear and unequivocal correlations between ACE scores and risk for concerning health, mental health, and behavioral outcomes such as substance use, depression, suicidal ideation, and violence; and

  • Underscored the need for continued expansion of trauma-responsive practices across education and youth-serving systems

In 2017, the Monroe County YRBS/ACEs initiative expanded this important work to include indicators of resilience.  This provides an unprecedented opportunity to look at the role that increasing reliance plays in decreasing risk for mental health, substance use, suicide ideation, and violence.  Here’s what the most recent data tell us:
[1] Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are stressful or traumatic events, including abuse and neglect. They may also include household dysfunction such as witnessing domestic violence or growing up with family members who have substance use disorders. ACEs are strongly related to the development and prevalence of a wide range of health problems throughout a person’s lifespan, including those associated with substance misuse.

While these data illustrate the significant level of exposure to trauma in our region, the analyses also show that we can mediate the impact of this exposure by concentrating on those things that build resilience in young people. For example:

  • Among youth who have at least 1 non-parental adult support, risk for substance use - being under the influence at school, suicide ideation and depression all decline.
  • When youth feel they matter to their community, risk for suicide ideation and depression decline.
Click here to read more or for more information, contract Elizabeth Meeker at emeeker@ccsi.org .
February ACEs Community Event
On February 8 th , CCSI partnered with The Wilson Foundation , Rochester Area Community Foundation , and Monroe County Office of Mental Health to host a sold out event bringing together more than 200 educators, physicians, providers and other community partners to discuss how trauma and ACEs impact the health and well-being of youth in Monroe County — and importantly, what we can do as a community to mediate the impact and help youth become more resilient.

Attendees watched the film Resilience: the Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope , which set the stage for a review of data results from the most recent Monroe County YRBS/ACEs analysis presented by CCSI’s Elizabeth Meeker , Director of Training and Practice Transformation and Amy Scheel-Jones, Chief, Planning, Monroe County OMH. Through the analysis completed by Deb Hodgeman, Chief, Information Management and Analytics, Monroe County OMH and her team, these data results illustrate the prevalence of trauma in our community – and how the accumulation of ACEs increases the risk for lower academic performance, issues related to mental health, substance use, violence, and suicidal thoughts or actions. Click here to read more
Creating the Roadmap Towards Trauma Responsive Care
Earlier this month, Elizabeth Meeker, PsyD , Director of Training and Practice Transformation , presented Creating the Roadmap Towards Trauma Responsive Care in Rochester Regional Health's Best Practices Seminar series. Trauma and toxic stress are repeatedly at the center of an individual’s mental health challenges, substance use, physical health issues and/or involvement with the justice system. This means, whether or not it is fully recognized, organizations are working with survivors of trauma, so it is essential for organizations to become more trauma responsive. 

Creating a trauma-responsive system requires not only understanding the impact of trauma, but implementing changes in service delivery that align with the five core principles of trauma-informed care: Safety, trust, choice, collaboration and empowerment. Furthermore, a trauma-responsive system recognizes and attends to the needs of both the recipients of services, as well as the staff. Click here to read more or to access the slide deck from that presentation.
Effort Begins in Genesee County to Create Crisis Intervention Teams
As part of the state-wide Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) program development initiative, local leaders in law enforcement, fire services, mental health and other crisis intervention professionals in Genesee County participated in a Sequential Intercept Mapping process last week led by Don Kamin, PhD Director of the Institute for Police, Mental Health and Community Collaboration and Mark Giuliano, Institute Consultant and Director of Community Support at the Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health. The mapping process identifies the current crisis response system for individuals experiencing mental health-related emergencies, with a particular emphasis on when individuals with mental illness come into contact with the criminal justice system. A report will be forthcoming that will make recommendations regarding ways to transform the crisis response system to minimize the times that law enforcement are the first responders to individuals experiencing emotional distress. 

When a mental health issue does involve police officers, it is important that those officers have the training and resources to deal with it effectively. Dr. Kamin and his team will return later in the year to conduct a week-long course for police officers who will be a part of the County’s Crisis Intervention Team. Officers will learn how to recognize mental illness and related disorders, enhance their communication and de-escalation techniques, and learn about local resources. To learn more about week’s session click here
Congratulations to the Value Network LLC

Congratulations to the Value Network LLC on their recent New York State Behavioral Health Care Collaborative (BHCC) award of $4.6 million. Value Network LLC is an emerging Behavioral Health provider network founded by four well-respected providers in the Western Region of New York State: Spectrum Health and Human Services, BestSelf Behavioral Health , Endeavor Health Services and Horizon Health Services . New York State is funding the development of BHCCs, networks of Behavioral Health providers, to support clinical integration as well as readiness to become involved in Value Based Payment arrangements. The funding is to be used to cover the cost of significant network development work to take place over the next three years. The counties to be covered by the Value Network BHCC include: Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Allegany, Orleans Genesee and Wyoming. 

CCSI was pleased to assist in the development of the Value Network funding application which resulted in the largest award in the Update New York region. CCSI, along with the Bonadio Group and MP Care Solutions, will also be supporting the development and implementation of work plans required by New York State that address four key Value Based Payment Readiness areas: Organization, Data Analytics, Quality Oversight and Clinical Integration.   For more information, contact John Lee .    

Financial Services and Fiscal Business Practices
James Monfort, Manager of Financial Services, Senior Consultant
CCSI | Center for Collaboration in Community Health
Resources
Clark Family Scholarship
Applications Due by April 15th

The Clark Family Scholarship provides financial support for professionals working in the mental health or developmental disabilities fields within the eight-county area surrounding Rochester (Monroe, Genesee, Livingston, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates counties) seeking advanced degrees in their field. 

The scholarship was established several years ago by Rochester area residents Tom and Barbara Clark. The Clarks have been closely involved with agencies serving the disadvantaged and have personally witnessed the skills and dedication of those who have chosen this career. One of their children, born with Down Syndrome, has been the beneficiary of many services provided by the agencies and health systems serving the developmentally disabled. 

This scholarship was established to assist individuals dedicated to serving in the field of developmental disabilities or mental health with their advanced educational pursuits. Award amounts are determined through a scholarship committee review process, which takes into consideration academic performance, financial need, and access to other available grants or resources. 

Presenter:
Briannon O'Connor, PhD
Associate Director
CCSI | Center for Collaboration in Community Health
Making the Most of Available Data Driven Performance
In order to participate in informed decision making and heighten accountability to individuals being served, Behavioral Health organizations must be able to accurately measure the impact of their services. This webinar will introduce tools and examples that will support agencies in creating a performance driven culture using easily accessible data.  

March 13, 2018
12:00 - 1:00 PM
February Center Webinar - Strategies for Success in changing Times
John Lee. MBA
Director
CCSI | Center for Collaboration in Community Health


January Center Webinar - Measuring Service Impact: Tools That Will Help
Briannon O'connor, PhD
Associate Director
CCSI | Center for Collaboration in Community Health

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