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Maternal Mental Health Awareness #MMHWeek2020

May 4, 2020 By Lisa Melchior

Fact: Maternal mental health (MMH) disorders impact up to 1 in 5 women; yet most never receive a diagnosis, treatment or support.

We recently teamed up with 2020 Mom, to conduct an evaluation of their pilot program to help identify ways in which certified peer specialist training could be adapted to address MMH. This pilot test included collaborations with several community-based partners, including Recovery Innovations (RI) which provided general Peer Support Specialist training.

The study included two components: (1) Certified Peer Support Specialist training and, (2) training specifically addressing Maternal Mental Health. The first was a two-week, live instruction that covered necessary skills in providing peer support in a behavioral health setting, Stages of Change, and addiction. The second component was provided by Women’s Health Innovations of Arizona and reviewed specific conditions and struggles related to maternal mental health over the course of 2 days.

The evaluation study demonstrated that those who participated:

  • Increased their confidence in their ability to provide peer support to other women;
  • Increased knowledge of information from training, including MMH-specific content;
  • Reported being satisfied or very satisfied with the training;
  • 100% use the information from the training in their current MMH work; and
  • Gained empathy, compassion and communication skills.

This evidence-based peer support specialist training had a positive impact on MMH peer support work and was beneficial overall to those who took part.

We are pleased to have had the opportunity to work with 2020 Mom to help tell their story! Check out this clip that includes our presentation at the Annual 2020 Mom Forum in February.

Share this post with #MMHweek2020!

 

Funding for the pilot test and evaluation study was provided by the Hope and Grace initiative. Click here to see the full report.

 

 

Filed Under: Behavioral Health, Populations, Program Evaluation Tagged With: #mmhweek2020, 2020 mom, Lisa Melchior, maternal mental health, mental health, Program Evaluation, The Measurement Group

Why the Homeless are Especially Vulnerable During the COVID-19 Outbreak

March 30, 2020 By Lisa Melchior

This post is written by Michelle Quezada, Evaluation Assistant at The Measurement Group. Homelessness is a huge issue here in Los Angeles County, and many of the programs we evaluate provide services to this extremely vulnerable population. Thanks Michelle for this contribution.

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The coronavirus is quickly spreading, and although the U.S. government has advised social distancing and self-isolating to slow the spread, these measures will not completely eliminate the disease. Slowing the spread of the virus is critical – COVID-19 has become a pandemic and does not discriminate against age, race, or sex, making everyone susceptible. Nonetheless, the elderly, those with compromised immune systems or individuals who have chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart or lung disease are considered to be at a higher risk of developing more severe complications related to the infection.

In an effort to reduce transmission of the disease, health officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that very specific actions be taken for protection – including staying at least a six feet distance from others; frequently washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; wearing a face mask if you are feeling unwell; and to disinfect frequently touched surfaces throughout the day (How to Protect Yourself). This begs the important question – what about those who are homeless?

For those who experience chronic homelessness, the recommended precautions outlined by the CDC are not so feasible. The homeless population face significant challenges of inadequate medical care and clear lack of basic hygiene necessities.  A large number of these individuals also experience serious underlying health conditions including behavioral health disorders that can greatly impair their daily functioning. The lack of access to necessary supplies to help in the fight against COVID-19 such as antibacterial soap, hand sanitizer, facemasks and disinfectant wipes can be especially damaging for those without stable housing, who are not only left to fend for themselves without shelter and in close proximity to others, but without the basic needs required to slow the transmission of the coronavirus.

What’s more, those infected with COVID-19 may experience symptoms anywhere from 2 to 14 days after exposure, if even at all. There have been reports of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in which individuals have remained asymptomatic. The issue is, several people infected with the disease may not know they are carriers and continue spreading and transmitting the disease to others. This means, that those within the homeless population are especially susceptible, considering they spend the overwhelming majority of their time in close proximity to others, who may not have access to medical care, COVID-19 testing, facemasks to wear when they are feeling ill, or the resources needed to properly wash and sanitize their hands frequently. This population is also at higher risk for developing more severe cases of COVID-19 and associated complications due to preexisting conditions.

As of March 24, there have been 2,365 cases of COVID-19 in California, with 50,206 cases in the U.S. (Coronavirus Live Updates). However, these numbers only include confirmed cases. California Governor Gavin Newsom noted that as many as 60,000 of the 100,000 plus homeless may be infected with the virus over the next several weeks. To increase hygiene opportunities among those without stable housing, the Los Angeles City Council has begun implementing safety measures including mobile showers and portable toilets (How to Prevent Coronavirus from Ravaging Homeless Encampments). Most importantly, Newsom has announced immediate plans to take over 42 city recreation centers, converting these spaces into emergency shelters, making 6,000 beds available (How to Prevent Coronavirus from Ravaging Homeless Encampments). These measures are not without challenges – how does this fit with the CDC’s very specific guidelines calling for people to stay at least 6 feet apart to reduce transmission? These are valid concerns, but the city has committed individuals will remain at a safe distance in compliance with the CDC by keeping occupancy at these facilities low. Inevitably, these measures pose health risks but it seems more beneficial to have the detection and sanitation opportunities these temporary housing solutions have to offer.

The magnitude of COVID-19’s impact has proved that on a global scale, we were ill-prepared for a pandemic, but the homeless population is especially vulnerable considering their lack of fundamental resources and access to healthcare. If even one person becomes infected with COVID-19 within a homeless community filled with housing tents, a domino effect becomes imminent considering how easily the virus spreads. While California is making strong efforts to aid homeless communities during this time, these strides are not without challenges.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: behavioral health, coronavirus, COVID-19, homelessness, mental health, substance abuse, The Measurement Group

Evaluation of Mental Health Programs

January 2, 2017 By Lisa Melchior

The Measurement Group works with a range of mental health programs for underserved populations. Our senior staff are strongly committed to evaluating and disseminating effective mental health service models.

  • TMG evaluates programs designed to increase access to quality mental health services.
  • TMG works with programs specializing in treatment for persons with mental health and other co-occurring disorders.
  • TMG evaluates programs that aim to increase the capacity of service providers to meet evolving needs in mental health.
  • TMG evaluations document the processes of innovative mental health services so that successful programs can be replicated.
  • TMG evaluations measure outcomes at the client, program, and systems levels.
  • TMG evaluations document the implementation of best practices in mental health.

Filed Under: Content Area Tagged With: behavioral health, mental health, Program Evaluation, The Measurement Group

Mental health home visiting service model for child abuse prevention

March 23, 2016 By Lisa Melchior

cysrMy co-authors Katherine Reuter, Ph.D. and Amber Brink and I recently published an article about a mental health home visiting service model for child abuse prevention. The journal – Children and Youth Services Review – allowed us to share our findings not only by publishing the full article, but also in a brief 5-minute audioslide presentation. Click here to view the presentation and learn more about the model and results that support its effectiveness in improving family functioning among families with young children who are at risk for child maltreatment.

Filed Under: Populations, Program Evaluation, Service Models, Uncategorized Tagged With: Amber Brink, child abuse prevention, Children and Youth Services Review, Katherine Reuter, Lisa Melchior, mental health, Program Evaluation, The Measurement Group

New publication coming soon

December 14, 2015 By Lisa Melchior

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Image courtesy of bluebay at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

It’s always exciting when we have the opportunity to publish findings from our program evaluations. We are pleased to announce that we have a new publication coming soon! An article resulting from our work with the Westside Partnerships for Families program has been accepted for publication in Children and Youth Services Review. The paper, An Intensive Mental Health Home Visiting Model for Two At-Risk Early Childhood Populations, is authored by Katherine Reuter, PhD, former Program Director at the Providence Saint John’s Child and Family Development Center (CFDC) in Santa Monica, California, and Lisa Melchior, PhD and Amber Brink, BA of The Measurement Group.

Partnerships for Families is a child abuse prevention program that was initially funded by First 5 LA in 2006. Part of a county-wide initiative, Providence Saint John’s CFDC  implemented this program in the Westside Service Planning Area of Los Angeles County. In the PFF Mental Health Model, mental health professionals work with families in a home visiting setting. The purpose of the program is to reduce risk and build protective factors in families with young children at-risk for child maltreatment. The paper describes the PFF Mental Health Model and documents improvements in family functioning among participants. It also presents data showing how caregivers reduced their risk on a number of personal characteristics — particularly those characteristics amenable to change through mental health intervention. Results were examined in two groups referred to the program: families with young children (age 0-5 years) who were referred by the Department of Child and Family Services, and pregnant women who were referred by community service providers due to risk factors for child maltreatment (such as depression, substance use, and/or domestic violence). Positive outcomes were observed at both the individual caregiver and family level in both of these groups.

We are pleased to help disseminate the outcomes of this innovative program and contribute to the evidence base for its effectiveness. While the focus of this article is primarily quantitative, we are currently working on another that will present a qualitative analysis of selected case studies to illustrate ways in which program participants demonstrate aspects of family strengthening.

Filed Under: Populations, Program Evaluation, Service Models Tagged With: Amber Brink, child abuse prevention, home visiting, Katherine Reuter, Lisa Melchior, mental health, prenatal, Program Evaluation, Providence Saint John's Child and Family Development Center, quantitative methods, The Measurement Group

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