Initial Outcomes in a Coordinated Specialty Care Program for an Underserved Population in Fall River
Amy Paris, PhD, Jacqueline Schofield, LICSW; Kendra Mello, LICSW; Waffa Freij, LCSW; Iesha Niles; Nilka Benitez; Vanessa Belisle; Maxwell Mayer, MD; Margaret Guyer, PhD
Background: Based on epidemiological studies, each year in Massachusetts roughly 2,000 people will experience a first episode of a psychotic disorder. In line with the Massachusetts strategic plan to extend access and equity for the treatment of psychosis in its earlier stages, the DMH-funded Coordinated Specialty Care Team at Corrigan Mental Health Center began in October 2022 in Fall River. Now, more than 18 months into operations, we can begin to examine outcomes and areas to improve our client care. This examination allows us to spotlight our program successes at treating an under-served population while also allowing the potential to learn from other programs’ successes for our further implementation.
Methods: Data previously collected in the process of treatment were utilized to assess client engagement with a new CSC program, highlight initial outcomes for the first cohort of clients treated, and examine both client self-report and clinician ratings to observe progress. Assessments included self-reports from clients on their process of recovery, overall satisfaction, and symptomatology as well as clinician ratings on client symptom severity and service utilization. Tallying types of encounters with the clients allowed us to highlight the outreach and engagement the program has with clients in comparison with what is expected from a typical, non-specialized treatment.
Results: These data provide insight into the clients the Corrigan CSC program has been able to engage, strengths of the CSC program early in implementation including the benefit of maintaining a low-barrier to treatment, and some areas we may be able to increase gains moving forward.
Conclusions: During the initial months of the CSC program in Fall River we demonstrated positive outcomes through our low-barrier to treatment approach and utilization of all components of CSC roles. Further work in this community with the CSC team will include focusing on identified deficits and strengthening alignment in the community.