U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Visits OCHN

Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN) is being visited by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Monday and Tuesday, July 23 and 24, 2018, as part of a study identifying innovative programs for the development of future pre-booking jail diversion models and initiatives. Only five communities across the country were chosen for the study, which is being conducted in partnership with HHS by Abt Associates.

“For more than a decade, OCHN and other critical Oakland County partners have collaborated to redirect citizens with mental health and/or substance use concerns from contact with the justice system and into valuable services,” states Catherine Yunker, OCHN director of Access and Acute Care. “The positive outcomes of these efforts have been recognized across Michigan.”

OCHN has also made arrangements for Abt to visit Common Ground, Easterseals Michigan, the Resource and Crisis Center, Oakland County Jail, and with local law enforcement.

The information collected by Abt Associates will assist the federal government in policy development and program implementation strategies to support states and communities in diverting individuals with mental health and/or and substance use treatment needs from involvement in the criminal justice system.

By visiting the selected sites, HHS and Abt hope to gain knowledge of:

• How programs are developed
• Use of current programmatic models and evidence-based practices
• Policy and funding that either support or interfere with implementation and sustainability
• How to overcome barriers and other obstacles
• The role of collaboration in program implementation and sustainability
• Successes that influence federal policy and programming.

Following the visits and research gathering process, Abt will produce a short summary of each program and provide a final report with data from the site visits.