Senior Reach:An Evidence-Based Program Serving Older

Adults

Colorado’s Current Senior Population

And it is Growing Faster than any Other Age Group…

Behavioral Health Treatment Needs for the Older Adult Population

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration Issue Brief 2013

Older Adult Behavioral Health Needs: Percentage of Older Adults at Risk:

% of older adults with clinically significant anxiety

27%

% of older adults with depressive symptoms 26%

% of older adults using psychoactive prescription medication (pain, sleep, anxiety medications) that have substance abuse potential:

25%

% of older adults with co-occurring alcohol and depression

20%

% of older adults affected by the combination of alcohol and medication misuse

19%

% of older adults at risk of problem drinking 16%

Jeste, Alexopoules, Bartels, et al. 1999

10 Things Retirees Won’t Tell YouThe Wall Street Journal September 21, 2014

1. We’re broke 2. Retirement is more stressful than it looks 3. We’re alone too much 4. We’re in denial about our health problems……… 5. …...and our health-care costs are huge 6. We’re after your job 7. We still get frisky 8. We’re planning to move in with you 9. Traveling the globe? We wish 10. We’re scam magnets

What is Senior Reach? An evidence-based program that provides behavioral health

treatment, wellness and care management services who are isolated, frail, or need support

A program that trains Community Partners (30,500 trained in Colorado and Kansas) on how to recognize the early warning signs of when an older adult may need assistance and where to refer

A single entry point program with a 93% engagement rate A program that has partnered with doctors’ offices to screen older

adults for depression and at risk substance use in order to provide follow-up services

What is Senior Reach? A grassroots, community-based volunteer program that identifies

older adults who may benefit from additional assistance and support

A simple way to help older adults get assistance before a serious crisis develops

A strong partnership between agencies that provide support services, businesses and community-minded individuals.

A Senior Reach Outreach and Education Program in a Community Can:

Address the changing demographics of the older adult population Help residents adapt to the changing needs of the community Educate the community about mental health and the needs of

older adults Train volunteers to be the “eyes and ears” for older adults in need

or those at risk Reduce stigma about mental health and aging Provide easy access to information in an elder-friendly manner.

The mission of Senior Reach is to support the well-being, independence

and dignity of older adults by educating the community, providing behavioral health, care management services, and connecting older adults

to community resources.

Senior Reach® is honored that its program is recognized as a National Evidence-Based Program through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's(SAMHSA) National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP)!

Collaborative Management & Partnership

Senior Reach Components

• Senior Reach outreach and education services train individuals and professionals in the community to identify and refer seniors in need.

• Other community training: suicide prevention, health care issues for seniors• Training specific to health care providers who are screening for behavioral health needs

Community Education & Outreach

What Does a Senior Reach Community Partner Do?

Community Partners are professionals and individual community members who have been trained in identifying and referring older adults in need of assistance

They become keen observers of an older person’s personal appearance, mental and emotional states, personality and physical changes, poor health, social problems, substance abuse, caregiver stress, abuse or neglect, social isolation, financial hardship, and the risk factors of suicide

Research Data- 14 Statistically Significant Outcomes* Including…

Better overall level of functioning Increased optimism about the future Increased positive activities with others Reduction in social isolation Decreased emotional disturbance Decreased risk of suicide Better outcomes on the Geriatric Depression Scale*Indicates statistically significant change at p< .05 from time of enrollment to discharge-

paired sample t-tests.

Bartsch, D.A., & Rodgers, V.K. (2009). Senior Reach Outcomes in Comparison with the

Spokane Gatekeeper Program. Care Management Journals, 3(10), 82-88.

Senior Reach: A Solution for Communities Proven population- based, health intervention that focuses on

prevention Proven to reduce fragmentation & better utilization of community

resources Proven 93 % engagement rate & clinical outcomes Proven to reduce suicide risk. Seniors represent 13% of the

population yet account for almost 15.7% of suicides Proven high customer experience/ satisfaction. 94 % would

recommend Senior Reach to someone else Senior Reach has been approved for inclusion in SAMHSA’s

National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP).

Senior Reach, Braided and Blended Funding

Senior Reach bills Medicare, Medicare-Medicaid, private insurance, and Capitated Medicaid for all behavioral health services

Our local Area Agency on Aging provides funding for behavioral health services for those who are uninsured

Senior Reach has been extremely successful in receiving grant and foundation funding. To date, the program has received over $2.3 million!

Funding for positions is shared across three sites and existing staff can be used

Boulder has been successful in using tax dollars to support a clinical position (sales tax initiative)

Expanding Our Impact…

In the counties served by JCMH and MHP, Senior Reach has provided integrated care in multiple primary care practices. Over 4,000 older adults have been screened within12 months and over 637 brief interventions have been provided for depression and at-risk substance use. 29% of those screened were positive for depression and 11% were positive for at risk alcohol, substance, prescription misuse.

What we’re learning:

- screening in PCP offices is effective for early detection and case

finding for older adults

- effective referral protocol and care coordination Colorado Senior Reach Outreach

and Education Program

Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Networkand Partners

From July 1st through September 30th there have been 14 Community Partner Trainings.

22 Trainers were trained 217 individuals in the community have been trained. We have brought on a volunteer Patient Navigator who will be

able to support the clinical team, and provide some administrative support to Senior Reach.

Future plans include adding Wellness programming and expanding senior peer programming

Senior Reach Remains a Vital Part of our Community Because…

By 2020, the 60+ population will have more than doubled

Some seniors have little or no support from family and friends

Seniors often face multiple challenges that can be effectively addressed by Senior Reach

Senior Reach fills a critical gap in services and is able to provide assistance before a crisis develops

THANK YOU!

Barbara Becker, Ph.D. Director, Community Programs

Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network bbecker@admhn.org

Please Visit Our Website

For more information, please visit, www.seniorreach.org

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