Marsha sits quietly, working to fit pieces into a puzzle. She appears content in the familiar surroundings of the assisted living community, her home for many years.
In another situation, she might be hospitalized or have to move from the home she’s known for years due to behaviors related to her Alzheimer’s/Dementia. The difference lies in the support provided by the Geriatric Adult Mental Health Specialty Team (GAST), operated by Therapeutic Alternatives, a program designed to increase the ability of older adults with mental illness to live successfully in their community.
Recognizing such a need several years ago, the N.C. Division of Mental Health authorized the development of 20 specialty teams statewide. Because Therapeutic Alternatives, Inc. had extensive experience with mental illness and developmental disabilities, it was chosen to contract with Local Management Entities (LMEs) in July 2003 to provide GAST services.
Today, Therapeutic Alternatives contracts with six LMEs to provide Geriatric Adult Mental Health Specialty Team services in 32 counties in central and eastern North Carolina. Teams operated by Therapeutic Alternatives include:
Team I: Alamance-Caswell/Rockingham
Team II: Sandhills – Randolph, Anson, Hoke, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Lee, and Harnett Counties
Team III: Five County/OPC/Durham – Vance, Granville, Franklin, Warren, Orange, Person, Chatham, Durham and Halifax Counties
Team V: Southeastern – Brunswick, New Hanover, Pender, Onslow, and Carteret
Team VI: The Beacon Center – Edgecombe, Nash, Wilson, and Greene Counties
Team VII: Centerpoint – Forsyth, Stokes, and Davie Counties.
Each team has a Registered Nurse and a Mental Health Professional and may also include others. These teams have developed over 50 different training modules to address different aspects of adult and geriatric mental health care. The teams continuously travel throughout North Carolina to provide education, training, and technical assistance for supervisors and direct care staff in adult care/ assisted living facilities, family care homes and skilled nursing homes. The training equips each staff to recognize the symptoms and understand effective management of mental illness, enabling them to provide greater stability and an improved quality of life to older adults with mental illness.
In a single quarter last year, six GAST teams provided a total of 1,792 hours of training in adult care homes, nursing homes, and family care homes. In addition, these teams provided 4,650 hours of community education and program development.
The teams also help LMEs to transition the elderly from state and private psychiatric hospitals to successful community placements, working with families who care for a loved one with mental illness to provide care in the home. They also educate community agencies like Senior Centers, local Councils on Aging, and health departments about the needs of adults with mental illness.
“GAST teams are important because they provide a service that educates staff and caregivers in order to improve the care of individuals with disabilities. All training is designed to be person-centered and encourages connections between caregivers and the person supported,” says Jerra Roberts, Supervisor of GAST services for Therapeutic Alternatives.
Samples of training topics include: Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Depression, Personality Disorders, Symptoms of Mental Illness, Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease, Strengths-focused Approaches, and Psychotropic Medication Management, Alternatives to Restraints.
The training is free of charge to facilities and community agencies. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are provided for direct care and professional staff. “If you are a facility administrator looking for more education for your staff, a caregiver in need of more support and education or a community group that wants to know more about mental illness, we are here to talk with you. We invite you to contact us to learn more about our services and how they can help you.”
For more information about the Geriatric Adult Mental Health Specialty Teams operated by Therapeutic Alternatives, or to learn more about GAST teams in your county, contact Jerra Roberts at 336-495-2747.