Mariposa Community Health Center
- Project Title: Santa Cruz County Adolescent Wellness Network
- Grant Period: 2017-2020
- Program Representative Interviewed: Cassalyn David, MPH, Community-Clinic Linkages Manager
- Location: Santa Cruz County, AZ
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Program Overview: In 2003, Mariposa Community Health
Center (MCHC) created an integrated
behavioral health model at their clinic in order to provide patients with behavioral health services in the
primary care setting. In 2007, the Santa Cruz County Adolescent Wellness Network (AWN) was started by
youth-serving organizations in the health, education, and social service sectors to increase capacity to
address adolescent health issues. Beginning in 2016, AWN focused on increasing access to behavioral
healthcare for youth, along with education and stigma reduction efforts with the goal of improving behavioral health
outcomes. In order to secure funding for the program, Mariposa Community Health Center applied for a federal
grant and received this grant during the summer of 2017. AWN uses promising practices including Mental Health First Aid and the National Alliance
of Mental Illness program, Ending
the Silence. In the clinical settings, clinical screenings such as the PHQ-9
and evidence-based and promising clinical practices, including cognitive-behavioral
therapy, dialectical
behavior therapy, and family
systems therapy, are used to monitor and address patient needs.
MCHC's integrated behavioral health model offers transportation to patients and has two full-time therapists to serve patients. Since the center is in close proximity to the Mexican border, it is essential that some staff members are bilingual in order to provide appropriate patient treatment. The program recognizes that it is not fully equipped to deal with every mental health problem (for example: episodes of psychosis), so the program refers some patients to other appropriate services in the area. The program also offers care coordination services. The Care Coordinators engage in morning huddles with practitioners to coordinate care plans and also participate in patient home visits. The grant for the Adolescent Wellness Network relies on partnerships with local schools in order to reach youth and facilitate referrals. Clinical practices, such as warm hand-offs, decrease loss to follow up and provide effective treatment to patients.