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Funds would be used to help defer staff costs associated with locating, <br />leveraging, requesting, and tracking authorizations for publicly funded payment <br />sources for their largely uninsured Orange County clients, and help cover costs <br />that ultimately can not be reimbursed. <br />Data shows that treatment rates for adults with mental illness in Orange, Person, <br />and Chatham counties are slightly lower than the state average of 34.4 per cent, <br />and throughout the states, services are not being delivered at effective levels of <br />continuity. Orange County Healthy Carolinians most recent survey data indicated <br />that mental health disorders was the fourth most important health concern for <br />residents. <br />County support is especially needed given the weakened state of community- <br />based mental health services, and only opportunity presented to invest in agency <br />whose mission is to offer therapy, medication management, and parent <br />education to underserved Latino-Hispanic families. The Human Services <br />Advisory Commission recommended full funding with emphasis on broadened <br />outreach to central and northern Orange. El Futuro was also strongly endorsed <br />by OPC management. <br />UNC Department of Psychiatry — Schizophrenia Treatment and Evaluation <br />Program (STEP) <br />Requested: $100,000 <br />Recommended: $100,000 <br />STEP is a joint program of the UNC Department of Psychiatry and the UNC <br />Medical School, relying heavily on medical students and graduate level interns <br />and volunteers in addition to licensed professionals. Funds are requested to <br />expand services to an additional 60 Orange County adults who suffer psychotic <br />disorders. Services include psychiatric evaluation, medication management, <br />individual and group psychotherapy, and community support. While the STEP <br />clinic is currently housed in the UNC Hospital, it is separate and apart from the <br />UNC Hospital System and does not receive System financial support. <br />Funds would be used to specifically hire a part-time psychiatrist and related <br />clinical staff to form a State certified community support team. Plans are also <br />underway to relocate from the hospital into another community-based setting to <br />increase public presence and client convenience. STEP is increasingly being <br />recognized as a national model for its evidence-based, one-of-a-kind treatment <br />protocol for a severe and persistent mentally ill population. <br />County and OPC staff conducted a site visit and interview with the STEP <br />management team on May 8th and on the basis of their findings endorsed the <br />HSAC recommendation to fully fund a one-time only grant of $100,000 to foster <br />service expansion within the context of continued mental health reform. <br />3 <br />