July 23, 2003

Contact: Irene S. Levine, PhD

Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research

Telephone 845 398-6503

CSIPMH research program serving homeless mothers and children highlighted as national model of excellence

Orangeburg, N.Y.--- An innovative project that provides treatment and supports to homeless mothers with psychiatric and /or substance use disorders who are caring for their dependent children has been cited as a model of excellence by President Bush’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health.

The New Freedom Commission’s final report, Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America, was presented to President Bush yesterday. The report is a product of a year long, in-depth examination of the nation’s system of care for individuals with mental illnesses. As one of its recommendations, the report calls for a better process to make evidence-based practices “the bedrock of service delivery.” It also highlights the importance of applied research in promoting improvements that will lead to better prevention and treatment. The pioneering NKI program is one of only a handful of programs nationally to receive such recognition by the Commissioners.

The CSIPMH “Critical Time Intervention for Homeless Families Program” is currently being implemented in Westchester County, New York. Supported by a combination of Federal, state, and local dollars, the project relies on a team approach to the provision of intensive case management services to the target group to help them access effective services and supports. As part of her research, Dr. Judith Samuels, a research scientist at the Nathan Kline Institute, and her staff have been studying the characteristics of the women served and the impact of the intervention on both the women and their children. Outcome data from Dr. Samuels’ research show that mothers in this group tend to be poorly educated, have meager work histories, and face multiple medical, mental health and substance abuse problems that translate into a lack of stability in the lives of their children.

The prototype for the project, which was first developed in New York City, seeks to improve housing stability for persons with severe mental illness and long histories of homelessness. Dr. Samuels received federal grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (totaling close to $4 million over three years) to refine the program to effectively meet the special needs of homeless mothers with mental illness and their children. Many of these women have long histories of trauma and substance abuse that complicate efforts to provide them with treatment, housing, and family preservation services.

“Westchester County is fortunate that NKI is in our backyard. This project provided us with a unique opportunity to be able to collaborate with a world-class research institute to benefit some of our most disadvantaged citizens. What higher calling can there be than keeping mothers together with their children,” says Nancy Travers, first deputy commissioner of the Westchester County Department of Social Services.

“For more than 50 years, NKI has strived to conduct rigorous research that translates into better practices in clinical and community settings,” comments Robert Cancro, M.D., Director of NKI. “We are proud that the Commission has cited the relevance of our work to the nation’s effort. I am hopeful that this report will catapult the Administration’s efforts to revamp a system of care that too often fails to meet the needs of mentally ill persons and their families.”

Dr. Samuels is on the faculty of NIMH-funded Center for the Study of Issues in Public Mental Health at NKI, which promotes the integration of research, policy and practice in public mental health.

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Located on the grounds of Rockland Psychiatric Center, The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research is a facility of the New York State Office of Mental Health that is nationally and internationally renown for its pioneering contributions to psychiatric research. On the web: www.rfmh.org/nki