FMHI to Serve as Evaluator for New Grant to Florida

In December 2006, Florida was among 10 states that received funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to design innovative new programs for children institutionalized with mental illness. In order to find alternatives to placement in Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTFs) so that children can thrive in their own homes and communities, the five-year demonstration project, Community-Based Alternatives to Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities, will enable the Florida Department of Children and Families, in collaboration with the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration to develop a comprehensive package of community-based services. The services will include 24-hour support and crisis intervention in community settings, training to families and respite care for those families, and after-school support programs for children and youth eligible for the PRTF level of care.

FMHI has been selected to conduct the evaluation of the program. Mary Armstrong and staff will study the cost-effectiveness and quality of treatment and outcomes for the children involved. They will assess System of Care (SOC) principles at both the child and family team level, to determine the wraparound process that an individual family receives, and system and program level, to determine if SOC values and principles are working properly where children and their families have direct contact with service providers.

“ This is exciting news for Florida,” said Mary Armstrong. “We hope the programs will demonstrate that the provision of flexible home and community-based services can divert children from child welfare, juvenile justice, and mental health restrictive settings.”

“ We believe these grants will result in a more caring, compassionate approach to meeting the needs of these children,” said Leslie Norwalk, CMS Acting Administrator. “Integrating them back into their homes and communities gives them the best opportunity to lead successful, productive lives as adults.”