Tri-County Mental Health Services, Inc.

Tri-County is aiming to accomplish its mission: "To provide prevention and recovery-oriented mental health and substance use services which are quality assured and person-centered, with increased attention to the 'whole person.'" More specifically, Tri-County exists to provide the highest level of prevention and treatment possible for the communities located in Clay, Platte and Ray counties. These services must be delivered efficiently to serve our entire service area, and Tri-County needs to remain innovative and creative in meeting the needs of a geographically diverse Northland, including rapidly expanding suburbs, established, densely urban areas, and rural areas. Lasting, meaningful change over the next three years will include more people with current needs served and those people will be identified and helped earlier in the progress of their condition. Additionally, lasting, meaningful change will come about through a wide range of community outreach, education and prevention activities, ranging from helping the aging population understand that depression is not a normal part of aging, to helping youths help each other avoid suicide, drugs and alcohol. All of this will involve destigmatizing mental health and substance use issues and helping members of our community help each other recognize, prevent and address mental health issues.

In the short term, TCMHS is directing its efforts toward Work Environment, Community Engagement, Service Delivery, and Financial Strength. Under Work Environment, TCMHS has three goals. First, TCMHS is remodeling to increase the ease and privacy of service delivery. Second, TCMHS seeks to maximize the utilization of current wellness applications. Third, TCMHS is working to ensure adequate training opportunities for its staff. Under Community Engagement, TCMHS has two goals.Develop at least three new partnerships with wellness experts in the Northland.Identify and engage community partners who want to help meet specific community needs.Under Service Delivery, TCMHS has identified five goals.Identify gaps in therapeutic specialty areas,Become a Trauma Informed culture.Work with the CCBHC formula.Explore feasibility of "Just in Time" services for MD/APN.Determine plans for large service delivery initiatives, including Zero Suicide and On-Site Primary Care services.Finally, in the area of Financial Strength, TCMHS has established two goals.Create an active Foundation Board as part of a separate supporting organization.Identify grant opportunities to meet specific, prioritized needs.

Because of its history of working through a network of providers, and its heritage of far-sighted, careful leadership, TCMHS is a strong organization with a sterling reputation. The solidity of the organization has provided it with the ability to recruit an excellent board and strong, stable staff leadership. TCMHS does not lurch from crisis to opportunity to crisis; it identifies areas of need and grows to meet the needs. Located in a rapidly-expanding portion of the greater Kansas City metropolitan area, TCMHS sees that its work load will continue to expand and its importance to the community will remain obvious. TCMHS is a strong and respected organization with reasonable financial reserves and a needed service.

Reflecting on the areas reported in answer 2, we have reviewed our facility needs and launched a redesign project that is currently underway. We have improved training on applications, and will continue to do so. We have developed new partnerships with wellness experts in the Northland, and have taken a leading role in the Kansas City Mental Health Alliance. We are implementing Trauma Informed Care and are implementing the CCBHC system. We have adapted our intake procedures to move to walk-in access, and we have welcomed Swope Health Center to our facility to provide clinic services. We have not yet fully relaunched our Foundation, though we are working on that, as well as working to identify more grants to meet our prioritized needs.