A group of mental health service providers in Lancaster County has banded together in an effort to better address the youth mental health crisis.
Led by Mental Health America of Lancaster County, they have formed a continuum of care, or CoC. It is working to coordinate services and fill gaps, and also as a referral hub, giving parents and youths in need a single point of contact and ongoing support.
“We’re that person in the middle … getting folks connected,” said Shelby Witmer, MHA Lancaster Family and Child Services Coordinator.
Launched post-pandemic, the CoC is based on the “systems of care” approach. A system of care is a coordinated network of mental health providers that builds partnerships with families, young people and other community entities, such as school districts and healthcare systems.
Some counties have formally implemented the systems of care approach, MHA Executive Director Kim McDevitt said. Lancaster County has not gone that route, so it made sense to create something analogous through the CoC, she said.
“We feel it’s that important,” she said, and MHA and its partners were confident they could move ahead using their own resources.
Through MHA and its CoC partners, parents and caregivers can access services specific to their children’s needs. For the providers, the arrangement provides a forum enabling them to share notes, understand the local landscape of resources and collaborate to provide effective care.
It is widely agreed that the Lancaster area and the U.S. as a whole are in the midst of a youth mental health crisis. The 2023 Pennsylvania Youth Survey, which canvasses students in 6th, 8th, 10th and 12th grades documented the following in Lancaster County:
- 69.2% of respondents reported experiencing emotional abuse
- 30.4% felt so sad almost every day for two weeks or more that they stopped some activities
- 17.7% seriously considered suicide during the past year
In 2022, the CoC secured a two-year grant for just under $150,000 from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime & Delinquency. That allowed the launch or expansion of a range of youth-focused services. Among them:
- Community Services Group trained 10 school-based mental health providers in trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. As a result, it was able to provide the therapy to students throughout the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years, CSG Practice Manager Rita Boer said.
- Compass Mark was able to provide in-school sessions in Support for Students Exposed to Trauma (SSET), an evidence-based peer support program that teaches skills for reducing post-traumatic stress distorder. Eleven groups reached nearly 70 students. “It has been well received by our school partners and the student outcomes are consistently very positive,” Compass Mark Executive Director Eric Kennel said.
Other funded initiatives include free online mental health screenings; production of an educational video introducing teens and parents to mental health issues and how to seek help; need-based financial assistance for mental health care; “Just 2 Talk” teen mental health support groups; and “neuromodulation” training to help parents and caregivers of children with serious mental health or developmental problems understand and address their children’s needs.
Through the CoC, CSG and other partners were able to support each other by coordinating treatment for high-need referrals and sharing resources, Boer said.
The ability to work across systems has enhanced communication and is helping families overcome barriers and access what they need, Kennel said: “There is no one-size-fits-all approach for every youth and family.”
Lancaster County Youth Mental Health Continuum of Care
Partners funded through the 2022-24 PCCD grant:
- Compass Mark
- CSG
- Focused Future
- Forged in Fire
- Mental Health America of Lancaster County
- Samaritan Counseling Center
The PCCD grant expired earlier this year, but the CoC was able to secure an additional year of funding from the Lancaster County Community Foundation, which provided $75,000 through the Wellbeing & Vibrancy component of its “Shaping Tomorrow” 100th anniversary initiative. The grant will support the COC’s efforts through 2025.
The Community Foundation grant is “very significant,” McDevitt said. It’s “an investment in building a different approach,” she said, allowing the CoC to solidify its structure.
A big part of the CoC involves resource navigation. Helping young people and their families with mental health issues typically involves multiple organizations. Families often need assistance to determine what kind and level of care is needed. Inpatient? Intensive outpatient? Group therapy? Individual counseling?
“It’s very lonely when your child is going thru a mental health crisis,” Witmer said. Having a trusted guide can make a big difference: In making the right choices, in navigating the complex, often bureaucratic system of care and in advocating for patients and their families when obstacles arise.
The CoC works extensively with county agencies: Behavioral Health & Developmental Services, Children & Youth. County case managers regularly make referrals to CoC partners: “It’s very collaborative,” Witmer said.
The group is currently finalizing the partner list for the 2024-25 fiscal year. Going forward, McDevitt said the CoC plans to seek additional PCCD funding. She said she hopes that partner organizations can continue some of the initiatives launched through the CoC on their own, and that more partners can be brought into the mix.
She identified prevention and wellness as another priority. Identifying issues early and giving young people the tools to cope can prevent more serious problems from arising down the road. Kennel agreed.
“The more prevention and skill-building work we can do with youth at an early age, the less likely that they will need intensive or costly mental health services down the road,” he said.
“Younger generations are more open to talking about their mental health. That’s an opportunity for all of us to listen and engage with them – that’s the path toward building connection and creating a resilient community.”
