CONTACT INFORMATION
Tom Spero, AFS Clinical Supervisor
tspero@nrvcs.org
Mental Health Skill Building (MHSB) is a program designed to assist adults with specific mental illnesses in building skills to assist them in coping with their symptoms and to aid them in living more independent lives in the community. Services are generally provided Monday through Friday, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Criteria for Services:
– Individuals must be at least 18 years of age.
– Must have state plan option Medicaid authorized through one of their contact providers such as Magellan.
– Must have had one of the following before admission to the program: Admission to a psychiatric hospital; Admission to a crisis residential program or a TDO like event.
– A primary mental health diagnosis of one of the following: Schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder; Bi-Polar I or Bi-Polar II Disorder; Major Depression or any other Axis I or Axis II disorder that a doctor has written a statement indicating that the client’s illness so impairs them that MHSB can be a benefit.
– Must be prescribed a medication(s) for the above mentioned mental health diagnosis.
– A willingness by the client to receive services on a weekly or several times per week basis.
– The individual should also be enrolled in concurrent mental health Case Management.
Prohibited Services:
– Transportation is generally prohibited unless it is specifically for a skill building event.
– Job coaching.
– Taking clients to educational classes such as college or GED.
– Case management activities such as doctor appointments, housing searches, or applying for benefits through government programs.
– Individuals with a primary diagnosis of Substance Use Disorders or Intellectual Disabilities should not be referred. However, secondary diagnosis in these areas can be looked at on a case by case basis.