Compass Health Network

Specialized Care For Adults With Chronic Behavioral Health Conditions

A consumer who worked with Compass Health Network to build a wellness plan that helped her secure housing.

Specialized Care For Adults With Chronic Behavioral Health Conditions

Compass Health Network offers a complete continuum of services and supports for patients with the most serious behavioral health challenges resulting from brain disorders that create a chronic medical condition. Just like other chronic medical conditions (diabetes, heart disease, COPD, etc.), people with serious and persistent behavioral health challenges can be treated successfully and live full, productive, healthy lives.

PERSON-CENTERED INTEGRATED CARE

With the assistance of an integrated health specialist, adults with serious behavioral health challenges will build a wellness plan suited to their unique needs. Wellness plans might include goal-oriented skill building, employment and educational supports, linking to natural and community supports, psychiatry, counseling, primary care, and dental services.

EMPLOYMENT & EDUCATION SUPPORT

We believe employment is an essential component of recovery for many people with mental illness and offer Individual Placement and Support (IPS), an evidence-based practice approach to vocational rehabilitation for people with severe mental illness. This model has consistently proven to be more effective than traditional approaches in helping people achieve and maintain employment. Core principles include:

Eligibility is based on consumer choice.
No one is excluded who wants to participate. Supported employment is integrated with treatment. Employment specialists coordinate plans with the treatment team: the case manager, therapist, psychiatrist, etc.
Job search starts soon after a consumer expresses interest in working.

There are no requirements for completing extensive pre-employment assessment and training, or intermediate work experiences (like pre-vocational work units, transitional employment or sheltered workshops).

Consumer preferences are important.

Choices and decisions about work and support are individually  based on the person’s preferences, strengths, and experiences.

Competitive employment is the goal.
The focus is community jobs anyone can apply for that pay at least minimum wage, including part-time and full-time jobs.
Follow-along supports are continuous.

Individualized supports to maintain employment continue as long as consumers want the assistance.

Benefits counseling is part of the employment decision-making process.
Personalized benefits planning and guidance help consumers to make informed decisions about job starts and changes.

ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT

Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) provides many types of services to people with serious mental illnesses. ACT teams provide services directly to people in their community. ACT team members receive specialty training and have the skills they need to meet the many needs of the people they serve. The ACT team provides these services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, each day of the year.

People getting services from an ACT team are usually people with schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders (e.g., schizoaffective disorder), and bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness); those who are not helped by usual outpatient models; those who have difficulty getting to appointments on their own; those who have had bad experiences in the traditional system; or those who have limited understanding of their need for help.

ACT and Assertive Community Treatment — Transitional Aged Youth (ACT-TAY) provide several specialized services directly to people in the community living with serious mental illnesses.  Team members receive training and have skills necessary to meet the many needs of the people they serve.

Team members help those they serve to learn how to manage symptoms of a mental illness, as well as dealing with housing, finances, employment, medical care, substance use, family, and daily life. The teams provide these services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, each day of the year.

HOUSING SUPPORT

Housing assistance is available to adults who currently receive behavioral health services from Compass Health Network. The goal of our housing programs is to help people live in community settings suited to their needs and preferences. There are a number of options, however, capacity is limited.

CLUBHOUSE

Bel-Ray (Belton, Missouri), Harmony (Washington, Missouri), and Headway Clubhouses (St. Charles, Missouri) are organized communities that support people living with the effects of mental illness. Clubhouse members are given opportunities tailored to meet their unique needs to rejoin the worlds of friendships, family, important work, employment, education, and health and wellness activities. The Clubhouses are restorative environments for people who have had their lives drastically disrupted due to mental illness and need the support of others who believe that recovery from mental illness is possible for all.