Who are we?

Projects to Empower and Organize the Psychiatrically Labeled, Inc.

PEOPLe, Inc.

Steve MiccioExecutive Director

PEOPLe, Inc.stevemiccio@projectstoempower.org

A peer run not for profit organization that provides advocacy and an array of recovery centered services to people with psychiatric labels in 7 Counties in New York.

PEOPLe, Inc.

Over the past 10 years PEOPLe has been developing and practicing pro-active diversion peer run services to assist people from crises and hospitalizations

A New Diversion Continuum

Home

Crisis

HospitalHome

Crisis

Hospital

Hospital Diversion HouseWarm LineIn-Home Peer CompanionshipSocial Structure (Nights Out)Emergency Department AdvocacyClinic Advocacy

Diversion Services

Persons seeking temporary residential care/respite care can stay from one to five nights in a warm, friendly, safe and supportive home-like environment where they can learn recovery and relapse prevention skills.

Hospital Diversion House The Rose House

Rose House’s services are designed to help ‘at risk’ individuals to break the cycle of learned helplessness and recidivism and to move away from what are often long histories of cycling from home to crisis to hospital, year after year.

Hospital Diversion House

In recent years, PEOPLe, Inc has developed a “warm line” service aimed at providing

phone-based crisis support at all hours of the day and night to help people to reduce or

avoid emergency room visits or psychiatric hospitalizations.

Peer Warm Line

PEOPLe, Inc offers in-home peer companionship in the event one does not

want to leave one’s home. A Peer Companion will visit an individual regularly

at his or her home or in the community, offering peer support, an empathetic ear and new techniques to help the person

avoid utilizing hospital services.

In Home Peer Companion

A social event in the community designed to provide weekly activities and/or events structured by participants. Nights Out connects people to each other and the communities natural supports.

As people grow socially they seem to become better equipped to focus more on wellness activities rather than symptom related activities.

Nights Out

Peers assist individuals in navigating the often-traumatic process of being screened and admitted/discharged to/from the hospital.

a booklet explains the process of the emergency room screening in language aimed at providing words of hope and support to the individual or family.

It improves compassionate care and overall outcomes. 

Peer Emergency Room Advocacy/Services

Full time Peer Advocate stationed in the clinicRole is to assist people in navigating the

clinic servicesAssist people in developing Wellness PlansEducating people on how to develop recovery

goals and advocate for themselvesEducate people on “What is Therapy”

developing expectations and personal responsibility around recovery

Clinic Advocacy

Philosophy(Culture)

Engagement

Environment

Three Vital Components to Success

Recovery is the expectationCore Values Drive behaviorMutual RespectTransparency/honestyThe shared experience can provide hopeRe-thinking crisisWell trained and developed Staff

Philosophy

Recovery

Philosophy

Engageme

nt

Environme

nt

Building a trusting relationship can promote empowerment in individuals that can lead to more informed and self-determined decisions about ones care and quality of life choices.

Good engagement reduces fear of punitive actions

Sharing stories in an open and honest environment can make the relationship and experience more meaningful thus possibilities for change

Well trained and developed Staff

EngagementPhilosophy

Engagement

Environment

Safe and InvitingClean and home-likeWarm greeting Educational materials availableRecreational materials availablePrivacy

Environment

Philosophy

Engagement

Environ

ment

Total Guests Served 227Total Residence Days 748Total Warmline Calls 1253Total Off-Premises Visits 72 748 x $1,400 = $1,047,200 (Local hospital cost)*Rose House annual cost $264,000Unspent Medicaid/Insurance cost $783,200 *Based on average cost of local hospitals

Rose House Totals 2010

Research

College of St. Rose in Albany, NY

The purpose of the study was to compare consumer satisfaction with PEOPLe’s peer-run hospital diversion program versus a traditional inpatient program. Guests quality of life and success in coping with mental illness as a result of their experiences in both settings was also explored.

Preliminary results of unpublished longitudinal study

Year one

Purpose of Study

Being greeted warmly Orientation to the program Non-judgmental staff Explanation of program Expectations Involvement in treatment planning Understanding of the risks/ benefits of treatment Use of recovery based language Trauma sensitive treatment

Treatment Measures

Overall, 64% of respondents indicated that they experienced these elements of treatment at Rose House compared to 22% at inpatient hospital settings.

Results of Treatment Measures

Active listeningRespect of clientsTime spent with consumerEncouragement of interaction with peersEncouragement of RecoveryAvailability 24/7

Experiences with Staff Measures

Overall 76% of the respondents indicated that the treatment experience included the above Experiences with Staff measures. Conversely, 32% of the respondents indicated that in-patient settings included these measures.

Results of Experiences with Staff

Quality of physical environmentComfortable settingsGuest private spaceMeals availability tailored to the guest

schedulesGuests ability to set their own daily

schedules.

Measures of Experiences with Environment

Overall, 78% indicated Rose House has these elements in the program compared to 18% for inpatient hospital settings.

Results of Experiences with Environment

Services at Rose House are more person-centered, and less restrictive than inpatient hospitals.

Staff is more likely to be respectful in their approach to guests than hospital settings.

Summary

Guests report feeling comfortable with the treatment received, as well as the environment. They also see peer-run programs as reducing stigma associated with mental illness.

Summary, cont.

Rose House alumni are socially involved, and report satisfaction with theses activities. It appears that Rose House guests believe that peers provide help with recovery, companionship and feedback regarding their mental illness. This belief is associated with increased social involvement.

Community Involvement

In front of de Halte House in Eindhoven, Netherlands

The new staff in Netherlands!

Steve MiccioExecutive Director

PEOPLe, Inc.378 Violet Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY

12601845-452-2728

stevemiccio@projectstoempower.orgwww.projectstoempower.org

Contact Information