$2.7 Million Federal Grant Awarded for Westchester County’s Co-Occurring System of Care
The Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health (DCMH) has been notified by U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of the award of a five-year, $2.7 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This federal grant, entitled “Westchester Co-Occurring System of Care-TREE (COSOC-TREE) Supporting Adolescents and Transitional Aged Youth with Co-Occurring Disorders, and their Families, through a Wraparound System of Care,” will be implemented in partnership between DCMH, The Harris Project, Westchester Jewish Community Services, Family Services of Westchester, the Guidance Center of Westchester, MHA-Westchester, and additional organizations.
Westchester County Executive George Latimer said: “People living with both mental health and substance use issues is something we recognize as a growing concern in our County. Our Department of Community Mental Health works every day to link with partners around the community – both inside and outside government. This grant will allow us to bring together top experts to better serve our communities.”
DCMH Commissioner Michael Orth said: “We are thrilled to be recognized by SAMHSA as a Project of Regional and National Significance. We are grateful for the ongoing support of County Executive Latimer in promoting this transformational work to improve outcomes for young people with co-occurring disorders.”
Building on DCMH’s Co-Occurring System of Care efforts that began in 2017, and in collaboration with key behavioral health providing organizations that have been leaders in transforming integrated care to meet the needs of the target population, the COSOC-TREE Project will enhance and expand comprehensive treatment, early intervention and recovery support services for adolescents (ages 12-18), and transitional aged youth (ages 16-25) with substance use disorders (SUD) and/or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders (COD), and their families/primary caregivers.
The Project will serve over 1,132 individuals throughout the duration of the grant. Focusing on co-occurring disorders, the COSOC-TREE project will apply a much-needed wraparound approach by employing Encompass, an evidence-based practice which integrates the treatment of substance use disorders and co-occurring psychiatric disorders in adolescents and transitional aged youth. The Project will be enhanced by the inclusion of Community Reinforcement Approach and Family Training (CRAFT), which is a multi-session EBP for concerned significant others (CSOs), i.e., family members, caregivers, friends. In addition, the Project will provide prevention education and messaging through Co-Occurring Disorders Awareness (CODA) programming and community outreach.
For additional information contact Michael Orth, Commissioner Westchester County Department of Community Mental Health at .