Exclusive Services

Population Served

 

Persons in Arkansas living with HIV or have high risk factors to contract HIV

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Ages 15-29 and their families

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Program Outline

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Community Health Workers (CHW)

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•Cultural mediation between individuals, communities, and health and social systems. Support and increase linkage to and retention in care and adherence to treatment by educating clients about treatment and the appropriate use of services.

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•Provide culturally appropriate health education and information. Improve adherence to treatment by providing structured educational sessions on topics such as HIV, viral life cycle, treatment, and side effects.

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 •Care coordination, case management, and system navigation. Support retention in care by assisting clients with referrals for transportation, housing, behavioral health treatment, and other support services.

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•Provide coaching and social support. Support retention in care and treatment adherence by providing emotional support to clients. Facilitate groups or one-to-one sessions virtually and/or in-person monthly.

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•Advocating for individuals and communities. Support the entire HIV Care Continuum by serving on the Arkansas HIV Planning Group (HPG).

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•Building individual and community capacity. Support retention in care and reduce barriers by collaborating with medical, behavioral health, and social services providers.

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•Providing direct services. Support treatment adherence by providing transportation assistance to HIV medical appointment and other supportive services (case management, housing, insurance, etc.).

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•Conducting outreach. Support linkage to and retention in care by re-engaging clients lost to follow-up. Presenting at local agencies and community events.

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•Establish routine integrated testing. Support identification and testing efforts in the state through the establishment of regular non-traditional testing sites in counties of assigned regions. Integrated testing includes HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.

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•Participate in evaluation and research. Document activities in programmatic systems as required.

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•Participate in continued CHW development. Support the continued development and expansion of CHW activities for persons living with HIV and participate within provided trainings and conferences.

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Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW)

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Identify and Prioritize High Risk Clients

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Identify patients who need immediate assistance, prioritize, and provide services accordingly. This may include providing supportive counseling, referral to community agencies, psychiatric referrals to medical setting or community agencies, crisis intervention, and mandated reporting.

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Initial Assessments

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Collects data which includes assessment of client's strengths as well as weaknesses through a systematic evaluation of the client's current level of functioning. To understand the client as a whole person, the HIV LCSW must assess the interplay among physical, environmental, behavioral, psychological, economic, and social factors.

 

Areas commonly evaluated by the LCSW include but are not limited to mental health status, preexisting health or mental health problems, an appraisal of the client's needs, and the resources of the patient’s informal support system, including family members, friends, and organizational memberships, social role functioning, environmental issues, including economic situation, employment status, and other basic needs, relevant cultural and religious factors. The HIV LCSW formulates an intervention plan based on the findings of this assessment.

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Follow-up

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During the six-month period for clients to receive EHE LCSW services, clients should have ongoing follow-up on treatment plan goals and interventions as appropriate.

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Psychosocial Counseling

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Provide counseling which may include long/short term psychotherapy, supportive counseling, couples, family, or group therapy to enhance coping skills, support adherence to medical treatment plan, decrease maladaptive functioning, and improve emotional well-being.

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Identifying Solutions and Techniques

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 Provide clients with assistance for navigating systems while recognizing individuality, self-respect, and self-worth.

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Crisis Intervention Activities

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Interview client if the client is experiencing a situational or environmental crisis due to HIV disease, e.g., the loss of permanent housing, change in medical diagnosis, recent bereavement, etc. This may include providing supportive counseling, referral to community agencies, psychiatric referrals, and mandated reporting.

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Family/Significant Other Support

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 Interview significant other/family member(s), with client consent to discuss the client and family related issues and provide appropriate HIV related services and referrals.

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Client Advocacy and Linkage

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On behalf of the client, family, or significant other, intervene to help obtain services or assistance in communicating with providers and agencies. Linkages includes contacting a referral source for a client to ensure service provision. Contact client, family, or significant other with in-person, written, or telephone referrals to appropriate resources.

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Education

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Provide basic information and education. Topics may include but are not limited to the following: HIV/AIDS prevention, transmission, medication adherence, public benefits, eligibility requirements, access to benefits, responding to stigma, promoting positive health outcomes, and how to work with an interdisciplinary treatment team.

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Private/Public Benefits Counseling

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Provide client with assistance for obtaining benefits of private and/or public benefits, eligibility requirements, and access to benefits.

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Transportation

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Arrange or refer patient for transportation services related to HIV health care and/or supportive services.

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Discharge Planning

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Assist client with post treatment services, including but not limited to home care, community referrals, outpatient medical services, and shelter (hospice, nursing home, residential AIDS facility, mission, substance abuse detox/treatment, independent living, etc.). In addition, to ensuring the client is linked to their Ryan White Part B and AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) case manager for their six (6) month re-screening for the program.

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Community Networking and Collaboration

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Attend community meetings, participate within the Arkansas HIV Planning Group, and collaborate with other care providers to pursue a higher quality of care for people living with HIV.

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Areas/Counties Covered

 

Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Desha, Drew, Jefferson, Lee, Lincoln, Monroe, Phillips, Prairie, St. Francis

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Grantor: Arkansas Department of Health HIV Ending the Epidemic LCSW Grant

Population Served

 

Marginalized, lower socio-economic at-risk youth & families with SED/SMI, risk factors, & co-occurring drug use/abuse 1-29 years of age 60% females 40% males 750 African American 150 Latino/Hispanic 90 Caucasian 10 Other

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Program Outline

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Educate at-risk youth & families with SED/SMI, risk factors, & co-occurring drug use/abuse of the importance of proper brushing & flossing of teeth & visiting dentist to promote protective factors to increase positive healthy living outcomes.

 

REFORM, Inc. will gauge oral health needs through pre, during and post self-/teacher/parent assessments, assist with referrals to dentists, provide monthly preventive and interactive education, provide advocacy and supportive services, assist with securing appointments and transportation to appointments through care coordination for youth and families enrolled in Arkansas BLAZE Academy YOUTH MOVE, along with secure memorandum of agreements with at least 5 Head start and other educational/community settings to provide these services to these for at risk youth between the ages of 1-29 and their families.

 

Cavities is one of the most common chronic conditions of youth between the ages of 5-19 in the United States. About 1 in 5 (20%) children who are between the ages of 5–11 years old have at least one untreated cavity. Children and adolescents aged 5–19 years with untreated tooth decay is twice as high for children from low-income families (25%) compared with children from higher-income households (12%). Poor oral health can have a detrimental effect on children’s quality of life, self-esteem, their performance at school, and their success later in life. Cavities are preventable and ensuring that students have the preventive oral health services they need in school and in the home are important in helping them stay healthy and ready to learn.

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Effective prevention and treatment efforts have proven to have major impact within the lives of youth, their families, and the community, however, some Americans, namely, those in lower socioeconomic and marginalized populations do not have access or receive information regarding education to preventive programs. A person’s ability to access oral health care is strongly associated with factors such as education level, income, race, and ethnicity. By increasing awareness of the importance of oral health to overall health and well-being, increase acceptance and adoption of effective preventive interventions, reducing disparities in access to effective preventive and dental treatment services, it increases overall oral health, which is essential to overall health.

 

Good oral health improves a one's ability to speak, smile, and make facial expressions to show confidently how they are feeling or the emotions they are experiencing. It reduces one’s confidence in new situations and causes one to have lower self-esteem. By educating and providing access in the places where the youth spend most of their time, such as in educational settings and community organizations, it increases their knowledge of, stresses the importance of other health and mental health and communication factors of, normalizes access to, reduces shame and stigma, increases access to, information about, compliance in appointments made, and transportation to appointments with assistance by social workers.

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REFORM, Inc. will have at least 1000 unique interactions to reduce oral health crisis among underserved, marginalized, minority at risk community members within the ages of 1-29 through faith-based, school and community-based partnerships by education, engagement, and intervention referrals.

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Specific Evidenced Based Tool Used: NAPSACC, Oral Health for Maryland’s Kid: Head start, and Navigating the Health Care System

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Areas/Counties Covered

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Northeast, Central, Southeast Arkansas

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Grantor: Delta Dental of Arkansas

Population Served

Ages 5-29 and their families

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Program Outline

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BLAZE Academy is a holistic, wraparound program approach to empower transitional, independent-aged youth and young adults, male and female, aged 5-29 to become leaders in their communities by preparing them with the skills and knowledge needed through assistance in the home, social, and education system, while offering music and health education, mentoring, educational events and field experiences, life skills and vocational training services by utilizing formal and informal supports.

 

BLAZE Academy offers community support groups, a mentoring program, apprenticeships, music education and health component, and community family nights.  REFORM, Inc. will be partnering with local businesses and with business owners, local medical providers, and intend to cultivate more partnership with other local, state, and national for- and not-for-profit agencies and churches to provide more comprehensive, cohesive services to the youth we service. BLAZE Academy began in 2018.

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Life skill subjects to be addressed will be, but not limited to: Adult Daily Living Skills, socialization, sex education, team building, conflict resolution, diversity, communication and listening skills, coping skills, mediation, community service, leadership, peer mentorship, abstaining from drugs and alcohol, internet safety, drug education, anger management, banking, budgeting, how to pay bills, cooking, keeping appointments, banking, shopping, saving, credit, and driver safety.

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Education skills training will be offered through parenting classes, GED preparation, test-taking classes, and homework tips to increase grades, and more. Career skills trainings will include credit counseling, entrepreneurship, apprenticeship, career counseling, job interviewing skills, how to dress for success, how to complete resumes, and complete job applications.

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Health training skills will be offered using education, yoga, Zumba, meditation, dieting, healthy foods, how to be aware of danger signs of health problems, preparing for life through learning about health insurance, life policies, and more.

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Incentives will be offered for each level of completion through the duration of the program. Mentors will be provided as an extra layer of help to assist youth in developing and reaching attainable goals to better the chances of each youth becoming successful.

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Parents will be involved through intensive family services, when applicable, to increase youth incentive and promote parental engagement. They will be offered several services including but not limited to assistance in identifying resources, and participation in the program through parenting classes, credit counseling, job skills training, communication, education trainings, and more.

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Blazing to a Healthier Lifestyle

Initial Screening will be completed with each participant. Screenings will include but are not limited to blood pressure, height, weight, body mass index, diabetic testing, survey on current eating lifestyle, physical, pulse, heart rate, temperature, and dental.

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Areas/Counties Covered: School Districts and Colleges within the State of Arkansas

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Population Served

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At-risk minority youth 10-17

 

Program Outline

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Overview

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REFORM. Inc. proposes to address this gap by serving at-risk youth ages 10-17 who reside within the 75 counties of Arkansas through its signature program Arkansas BLAZE Academy Youth MOVE. The program will target minority youth ages 10-17 in rural Arkansas who are at-risk of or have had contact with systems such as juvenile justice, Children and Family Services, FINS, mental health or have at least one parent who has been arrested or are currently incarcerated.

 

The program seeks to empower and strengthen the family unit of at-risk minority youth to avoid enrollment in or recidivism with community systems. The two goals of the program are to provide comprehensive support and diversion services for minority youth in rural Arkansas and to provide inter and intrapersonal development skill and support to the targeted population. REFORM, Inc. proposes a myriad of evidence-based stages to measure the number and percent of youth who offend or reoffend and improvement in family relationships.

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GOAL:

 

Arkansas B.L.A.Z.E. (Becoming Leaders and Acquiring skills as we Zealously Empower our lives)

Academy Youth MOVE is a holistic, strength focused, wraparound, diversion program geared towards minority, at risk transitional, independent-aged youth and young adults, male and female, between the ages of 10-17 who are at risk of, involved or have been involved in at least one system, are having difficulties with behavior or grades at school, behavior issues in the community, or in home, suffer from mental wellness issues, or have at least one parent who has been arrested or incarcerated who reside in rural Arkansas.

 

Arkansas BLAZE Academy Youth MOVE promotes family engagement and exposes youth to positive experiences that would lead them to choose to make better decisions to increase their chances of success in life and eliminate their involvement or recidivism through systems. Arkansas BLAZE Academy Youth MOVE empowers these youths to become leaders in their communities by preparing them with the skills, knowledge and supports needed to assist not only them, but their parents as well, in all areas of their lives: home, social, mental health, health and education system to prevent more negative encounters and decrease poor choices that lead to negative consequences. BLAZE Academy covers all 75 counties of Arkansas.

 

 

OBJECTIVE

 

Arkansas BLAZE Academy Youth MOVE’s goal is to stimulate the youth's development on multiple levels such as: mind, body, spirit, professionally, educationally, financially, mentally, community-wise through citizenship, however most importantly, personally. Our aim is to reduce acts of violence, school dropouts, unaddressed mental and health illness, cycles such as teen pregnancy and parenting, STD’s, poor oral care, drug and alcohol use and abuse, risk taking behaviors, dependency on systems and increase self-esteem, positive interactions, family engagement, sense of positive trust and belonging, voice, support and hope for the future.

 

Methods Used:

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Biopsychosocial

Needs Assessment

Family Assessment Tools

Wrap Around Model

Strength Based

Solution Focused

Aftercare

Youth Assessment Tools

Motivational Interviewing

Intensive Family Services

Accountability

Parent Engagement

Incentives for Participation for Youth

Mentors

Peer Mentors

Incentives for Participation for Family

Apprenticeships

Leadership Training

Support Groups

Family Nights

Promotion of Resiliency

Meeting the Family Where they are               

Promotion of Empowerment

Therapy for the Family Use of Formal and Informal Supports            

Restoration of Faith           

Scholarship Availability

Develop Knowledge, Skills, Education, and Abilities                              

Youth Advisory Board

Graduation to Levels of Treatment                

Educational Groups           

Year-Round Activities

Mental Health Treatment                                

Educational Activities       

Health Related Activities

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Areas/Counties Covered

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​ All Arkansas 75 counties

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Grantor: Department of Human Services- Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency and Prevention 2021

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Population served

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By reducing mental health crises, HIV and other STDs, and other health issues among underserved minority at risk community members through increasing access to services and collaboration with faith-based, school and community-based partnerships to reduce duplication of services and stigma, the goal is to:

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•         Increase the number of people who are assessed/tested, referred, and treated for HIV, other STDs and health issues that plague the minority population.

•         Decrease risk behaviors and lifestyle choices.

•         Increase access to mental and physical health prevention and treatment.

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Program Outline

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• REFORM, Inc. is volunteering some pro bono counseling hours and supports to patients and families affected by COVID-19

• We are providing services to insured patients via tele mental health that have experienced the before mentioned symptoms as well as PTSD, job loss, uncertainty of future, effects from isolation, social distancing, lack of socialization or experience suicidal ideations, abuse, neglect, domestic violence, elder abuse, alcoholism, drug usage/abuse, or poor coping skills.

•  REFORM, Inc. develops strategies to reduce the effects of negative outcomes such as poor childhood health, behavioral problems, and grade retention which are prevalent.

• REFORM, Inc. is dedicated to improving current relationships, mental and health wellness, assist youth and their families with identifying and forming new positive relationships to assist youths in developing new ways of handling conflict, adversity, stress and chaotic situations/relationships through utilizing conflict resolution methods and character building.

• The desire is that once a youth develops positive self-esteem, their environment, conduct, health, mental health, grades, and other risk factors that create obstacles for successful transition to adulthood improves.

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Areas/Counties Covered: Pulaski, Faulkner, Grant, Lonoke, Perry, Saline

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Grantor: Arkansas Community Foundation Building Black Communities

Population Served

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Nonprofit, For-Profit, Community Organizations who would like to partner with REFORM, Inc. to provide services to the clients they serve. 

 

Program Outline

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Primary Purpose

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Increase access to mental health services to underserved groups that promotes a variety of mechanisms for networking, collaboration, and information exchange enabling groups to work together systemically to leverage resources, building healthy communities, reducing disparities, provide comprehensive service delivery, and promote professional development.

 

This Top Ten List reflects the essential organizational conditions ideal to the full implementation of mental health and well-being in schools. The descriptions will support administrators to work with their school staff.

1. Commitment

2. Mental Health Leadership

3. Clear and Focused Vision

4. Shared Language

5. Assessment of Initial Capacity

6. Standard Processes

7. Protocols for Professional Development

8. Mental Health Strategy and Action

9. Collaboration

10. Ongoing Quality Improvement

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What is Child and Youth Mental Health?

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Mental health problems are emotional, behavioral, and brain-related difficulties that may have a negative impact on students’ well-being and interfere with their functioning at school, at home, in the community, and in social settings. Development, school attendance, academic achievement and relationships with family and friends may be affected. A mental health problem that is severe, persistent, and causes impairment in daily life is called a mental health disorder or mental illness. It is helpful to think of mental health as occurring along a continuum.

 

How Common are Child and Youth Mental Health Problems?

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Although prevalence estimates vary somewhat depending on which study is referenced and how the problem is defined, most place the rate of mental health problems in the range of 18-23%. The “one in five” statistic is a helpful way to remember just how many of our students are affected by significant emotional difficulties. As an administrator you may wish to speak with your staff and encourage them to think about and to anticipate that in any given year, in a class of 25-30, there may be 5 to 7 students who struggle with behavior and emotions to a degree that will interfere with their academic performance.

 

What do Mental Health Problems Look Like?

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Mental health problems can present in various forms. Most classification systems divide these clusters of signs and symptoms into two broad areas; externalizing problems, or those that manifest outwardly in things like aggression, impulsivity, and non-compliance; and internalizing problems, or those that manifest inwardly in things like sadness, anxiety, and social withdrawal.

 

Although classification systems exist to help us to understand and organize the clusters of symptoms that we observe, mental health problems do not fall neatly into categories in real life. Symptoms that are characteristic of one disorder are often symptoms of other disorders, and, to complicate things further, disorders tend to travel together. This is called co-morbidity. Approximately 45% of children and youth with one mental health disorder are likely to have another area of difficulty as well (e.g., depression AND anxiety, ADHD, and oppositional defiant disorder). It is because of this complexity that diagnosis is a controlled act, only to be performed by clinicians within REFORM, Inc. and that treatment must be provided by those with mental health expertise.

 

Types of Mental Health Disorders

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Anxiety Problems • Mood Problems • Attention and Hyperactivity / Impulsivity Problems • Behavior Problems • Eating and Weight-Related Problems • Substance Use Problems • Gambling • Self-Harm and Suicide

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What sorts of Mental Health Problems are we Most Likely to See at School, Home, or in the Community?

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Some child and youth mental health problems are more common than others. Specifically, difficulties with anxiety, behavior and mood are most prevalent amongst children. Within the school context, we are also well-positioned to notice emotional and behavioral difficulties associated with learning, attention, and hyperactivity/impulsivity.

 

Because some mental health difficulties emerge earlier in development than others, some types of problems are more commonly seen in primary, junior and intermediate settings, while others are most prevalent within secondary schools. Note that because, untreated, problems can become more pronounced over time, secondary school educators are more likely to observe more serious mental health difficulties amongst students than elementary school educators. Secondary staff should be alert to the potential role of addictions in student emotions and behavior at school.

 

How are Child and Youth Mental Health Problems Treated?

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Specialized treatment is delivered by a trained mental health professional who is regulated by the National Association of Social Workers requiring adherence to a set of clinical, ethical, and legislative standards (e.g., psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker). The treatment protocol varies with the type of presenting problem, but most often it involves psychosocial and/or pharmacological approaches. Treatment can occur in schools, in the community or in hospital settings. When mental health problems are in part a result of overwhelming academic difficulties, classroom and special education teachers are part of the treatment team since appropriate learning supports will ease issues such as anxiety, weakened self-esteem or even depressive mood.

 

What is the prognosis for Students with Mental Health Problems?

Untreated, child and youth mental health problems are persistent and impairing. Early intervention can make a considerable difference to outcomes for children, youth, and their families.

 

Agency Background     

 

REFORM, Inc.  is designed to help schools and community organizations to create conditions for promoting positive student mental health and well-being and for supporting students who struggle with mental health and addictions problems, through a focus on leadership, capacity-building, and implementation support. REFORM, Inc. delivers mental health services, and our agency serves children and adolescents with a wide variety of needs such as trauma, anxiety, depression and learning difficulties. Our agency’s goal is to improve access for underserved populations by reducing financial, cultural and transportation barriers to care. To increase families’ access to mental health services for their children.

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Values/Commitments to Youth and Family Mental Health:

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• Provides clear, precise, and concrete communication to the field about the initiative

• Offers a range of supports that are relevant and responsive to school personnel and boards

• Draws on research-based strategies for effective mental health leadership, capacity-building, and implementation in developing resources

• Draws on the experiences of Social Workers, and others, in shaping resources

• Uses best practices in knowledge mobilization for sharing information about mental health

• Further enhances a culture of caring within school personnel and boards, in part by modeling sensitivity to staff mental health and well-being as this new initiative is implemented

• Encourages coordination and integration across sectors and initiatives

Has a specific focus on:

• Leadership and organizational conditions to support effective school mental health

• Capacity-building for educators and system leaders

• Selection and implementation of evidence-based mental health promotion/prevention programming.

 

To reduce disparities, we will utilize a networking model among community providers to exchange information about activities and resources that will promote economic stability, educational success, access to healthcare, housing, and legal services for families.

 

4 Tiers on the Pyramid Model

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This model promotes Social and Emotional Competence and Addressing Challenging Behavior.

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• Mental Health Promotion-All

• Prevention- Some

• Intervention-Few

• Foundation-All

 

Who do we serve?

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The purpose of the REFORM, Inc. is to develop and build comprehensive community mental health services for children and youth with serious emotional disturbances and their families.

Also, to support the development and expansion of a coordinated system of care that integrates mental health services in the home, schools, and the community.

 

Partnerships often include community mental health providers and local schools working to develop and implement a coordinated, comprehensive, culturally, and linguistically competent plan of services, programs, and activities that focus on building supports that are readily available in the school, home, and community.

 

The system of care initiative focuses on a service delivery approach that builds partnerships to create a broad, integrated process for meeting the multiple needs of children and families. This approach is based on the following core values:

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• Family driven

• Youth guided

• Cultural and linguistic competence

• Individualized and community based

• Evidence based

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Proposed Project Goals

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1. Build capacity for culturally competent mental health prevention and early intervention services within the communities within Arkansas.

 

1. Ensure earlier access to mental health services, to lower the incidence of mental illness and suicide, to enhance wellness and resilience, and to reduce stigma and discrimination.

 

1. Implement preventative strategies to engage persons prior to the development of serious mental illness or serious emotional disturbances.

2. Increase the strength and capacity of Juvenile Justice Systems within Arkansas communities to be a viable and sustainable organization that provides a unique service and support to the students, staff, and the communities.

 

REFORM, Inc. will undertake the following strategies/activities:

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· Expand service professionals and mental health professionals by conducting outreach, public education and enhancing communication pathways.

 

· Promote training and professional development opportunities for staff of Lee County School District and service providers to become more knowledgeable about mental health issues and resources and for the mental health services providers to become more knowledgeable and culturally competent in serving Juvenile Justice Systems within Arkansas communities.

 

· Influence and improve accessibility and utility of mental health and other public services for students, staff, and Juvenile Justice Systems within Arkansas communities and community resources.

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Cultural Competence and Meaningful Stakeholder Involvement

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This project addresses the needs associated with multiple age and culturally diverse populations including youth, transitional-age youth, and older adults. Diverse populations include however are not limited by race, color, creed, religion, nationality, LGBTQIA, etc. As part of our project, we will outreach and leverage relationships with schools, colleges, and senior centers to engage these populations. We will also seek to engage non-English speaking persons in our community.

 

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Areas/Counties Covered: 75 Counties of Arkansas

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Fees: Please contact us for memorandum of agreements rates and contracts