Health Matters Local programs targeted at mental health, a top priority for region

Apr. 8—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Ja'Love Pridgen found a special place at Flood City Youth Fitness Academy in downtown Johnstown.

Designated as a Satellite Safe Haven Site by Greater Johnstown School District, the academy inside FWA Gym on Lincoln Street provides tutoring, homework help, nutrition, physical activities and more after school and on weekends.

"It's somewhere to hang out without getting in trouble," the 16-year-old Oakhurst resident said at the gym. "I don't feel like I'm by myself."

Pridgen has been going to the academy for four years and said "it's like a family."

She said she has benefited from the tutoring and mentoring and enjoys many of the activities, including roller skating and art. She was among the students who suggested offering a podcasting studio, but she hasn't had time to try out the new facility.

Pridgen welcomed the opportunity to get counseling when the academy began offering the behavioral health service.

"I had some personal problems, even though I made friends," she said. "I felt I needed some help. Talk about what we are going through and they give us feedback."

The academy's counseling program illustrates how a broad spectrum of area agencies, businesses and nonprofit organizations are coming together to address population health issues, said Jeannine McMillan, executive director of the 1889 Jefferson Center for Population Health in Johnstown.

Mental health ranked as the top focus area on the Community Health Needs Assessment that was presented last week by Conemaugh Health System, the 1889 Jefferson Center and the United Way of the Laurel Highlands.

It's also high among barriers facing Cambria County on the County Health Rankings report and in the Department of Health's State Health Improvement Plan.

A mental health collaborative with representation from behavioral health providers across the region has formed to explore ways to expand services, McMillan said. The group is looking for ways to speed up credentialing and licensing so more providers will be available here.

Psychologist Mary Berge, of Dr. Mary Berge & Associates, 1765 Goucher St., said there's a gap between when new staff members complete training and when they are certified to have their services covered by insurance companies or other providers. Often, each provider requires its own certification, she said.

"There's a gap that's a giant black hole," Berge said.

Tracy Selak, administrator of Cambria County Behavioral Health/Intellectual Disabilities programs, said the local group of professionals has gotten the ear of leaders in Harrisburg, who are working on legislation to speed the credentialing process.

She's been given the understanding that the mental health crisis is one of Gov. Josh Shapiro's priorities.

The mental health collaboration was developed through Vision Together 2025's health and wellness working group.

It's also looking into a program to bring more mental health education to emergency room doctors and other front-line professionals.

Jesper Nielsen, CEO of Croyle-Nielsen Therapeutic Associates, said the training program is called Project ECHO, short for Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes, and is provided through the University of New Mexico.

The idea is to reduce the number of times that a mental health patient in crisis at the emergency department doesn't get care until he or she is connected with a mental health professional.

"We can train the front-line medical workers with more knowledge to better address these things," Nielsen said. "It's not to replace the mental health professionals, but to supplement them."

Selak described Project ECHO as "a more holistic approach" to mental health.

Another idea the group is investigating would get mental health training for 911 operators, Selak said.

"They can be the first point of contact in crisis," she said. "If we can enhance the skills set of the individuals working in the 911 center, they may be able to talk to the individual and deescalate the situation. It's beefing up the resources we do have to deal with mental health in real time."

The region's largest hospital and mental health provider is not sitting on the sidelines.

Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center works closely with other providers, especially through the warm handoff programs with the county's crisis response team and the mental health collaboration.

The crisis mobile unit can respond to the emergency room and work with mental health patients to find help without being hospitalized. The unit also responds to those contemplating suicide or having another mental health emergency and provides connections for help, Selak said.

The crisis may be triggered by homelessness, food insecurity, a financial situation or other issues.

"The crisis team will link them to whatever resources they need to help, whatever their stressors may be," Selak said.

For its own part, Conemaugh is working on plans to introduce a partial hospitalization program and an intensive outpatient treatment option in its behavioral health department.

Medicare's website says partial hospitalization "provides a structured program of outpatient psychiatric services as an alternative to inpatient psychiatric care. It's more intense than the care you get in a doctor's or therapist's office. You get this treatment during the day, and you don't have to stay overnight.

"Medicare helps cover partial hospitalization services you get through a hospital outpatient department or community mental health center."

Intensive outpatient treatment brings more services to the patient during regular therapy sessions.

Andrea Soltan, interim program director for behavioral health, said the proposed programs would help patients acclimate to the community after discharge.

"We are just beginning the process of sending the papers to the state," she said.

Conemaugh's experience has shown the continual need for services. Soltan said the hospital's services remain state-of-the-art with the latest standard of care.

The additional services would be "icing on the cake" and could attract more qualified mental health professionals to the health system, she said.