CARING IN THE COMMUNITY: Mental health agencies aim to continue to serve community's needs

Source: The Herald-Sun, Durham, N.self storageC.Dec. 30--DURHAM -- The Herald-Sun takes a look at the triumphs and challenges facing nonprofit organizations and agencies tackling some of Durham's most pressing social issues -- homelessness, mental illness and gang violence.Durham Center Access and Alliance Behavioral Health's BECOMING project are looking forward to 2014, with goals in place.Anita Daniels, executive director of Durham Center Access, said that the agency will maintain a goal that it's had since 2008."We're working to decrease the number of people who go to emergency departments for mental health concerns or chemical dependency," she said. "We're really trying to educate our citizens that if you have a mental health crisis or chemical dependency crisis, that this is the place they should come."Ranging from informational presentations to various community groups and sending information to medical staff to hospital referrals and word of mouth, Daniels said, steps are being taken to make sure the public is aware of DCA and the services it provides."We try to make the information available," she said. "We have tours if people want to tour the facility and see how it's laid out. Once people come here, they know we're here and they tell others about us. Most people know about us through word of mouth."Daniels said that DCA also coordinates with other entities that 迷你倉re most likely to encounter people during a mental health or chemical dependency crisis, including the Durham Police Department and local EMS.David Currey, project director for BECOMING, said that there is one primary goal for the new year for his group: expedited services."The project's primary goal for 2014 is to assist young adults with their most immediate needs more rapidly and efficiently than in the past," Currey said via email. "In doing this, we expect to develop trusting relationships with the youth and thereby encourage them to engage with our program for longer-term assistance."Established to augment the system that works with and offers support for 16 to 21 year olds in Durham going through various life obstacles and mental health issues, BECOMING has developed a plan to ensure that its resolution for 2014 is met."The projects screening process will identify youth with the most pressing life needs and refer them directly to project staff with the background and resources to help with these issues," said Currey.He added that BECOMING will also be adding staff to help with the process and that the the organization looks forward "to implementing this important change to our service model in 2014."Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Herald-Sun (Durham, N.C.) Visit The Herald-Sun (Durham, N.C.) at .heraldsun.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉將軍澳