System & Program Development
AHP conducts system and program assessments for government, commercial, and nonprofit clients to help them identify options for change, develop strategic plans, implement new systems, or realign existing systems. Through site visits, data analysis, policy analysis, and other methods, AHP helps clients define issues or problems, identify the interests and concerns of stakeholders, and reach consensus on strategic goals and methods. As needed, our skilled staff then provide technical assistance, support, and resources to help our clients achieve their goals.
Co-Occurring Disorders and Behavioral Health
SAMHSA Report to Congress on the Prevention and Treatment of Co-occurring Substance Abuse Disorders and Mental Disorders. Collaborating closely with the SAMHSA National Advisory Council’s Subcommittee on Co-Occurring Disorders, AHP staff coordinated the development of a landmark policy document that still informs Federal response to the national challenge of improving outcomes for persons with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. AHP staff researched and wrote all initial text for the 150-page report, which includes demographic and epidemiological data, prevention strategies, a summary of evidence-based practices for co-occurring disorders, and SAMHSA’s 5-Year Blueprint for Action.
Criminal Justice
Report to Congress on Violence Against Women. In collaboration with the Muskie School of Public Service, AHP drafted a Report to Congress analyzing the data collected from ten discretionary grant programs run by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). AHP reviewed and summarized all pertinent research on effective responses to domestic violence and sexual assault. AHP also analyzed the data collected from the ten grant programs, and presented the information in a readable report that conveyed "the story" implicit in the data.
Alternatives to Incarceration. AHP managed the development of an Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) project for Bermuda. The ATI involved a shift in the island’s criminal justice system and philosophy from punitive incarceration to community-based rehabilitation. The vision was developed by several hundred of committed stakeholders whose work was facilitated by AHP. Stakeholders came to believe that incarceration is expensive and ineffective and that individuals, with proper services, can be rehabilitated. AHP staff developed and helped begin a range of reforms and programs in criminal justice, rehabilitation, social services, and court
eHealth
Electronic Medical Record System and Electronic Practice Management System Implementation. Since June 2005, AHP has been working with the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers on a long-term project to ensure that all community health centers (CHCs) in Massachusetts transition to integrated and interoperable electronic health record systems. Project staff have collaborated closely not only with CHCs but also with stakeholders such as HRSA, state government hospitals, laboratories, health plans, and vendors of record systems to ensure that the overall project aligns with state and Federal initiatives and an overall vision for community health in Massachusetts.
Leading Health Plan Member Acquisition Process Redesign. The goal of this project was to increase enrollment through a redesign of the complete Member Acquisition process. A Quality Management approach that incorporated Lean/Sigma was used to optimize the process, remove constraints, and level/balance workload. Consequently, 30 percent improvement in member acquisition was realized. Leadership Senior Management processes were reengineered by establishing and implementing a business system that met the needs of the organization and was based on established best practices including ISO 9001, Lean/Sigma, and Balanced Scorecard. The IT division’s key processes were also reengineered using best practices and integrating/aligning the division with the Plan’s business units, transforming the IT division into an effective unit able to efficiently meet the current and future needs of the business. In addition, AHP facilitated the implementation of an automated member application process. Work performed included analyzing manual processes and defining revised business processes that would support the transition to an electronic, automated process. A full implementation plan was developed that included pilot sites and testing. The revised process and automated application process were implemented successfully and on time.
Healthcare and Behavioral Health
Communications Plan for Managed Care. For Community Care Behavioral Health, a nonprofit managed care organization that provides recovery-oriented care for public system clients, AHP engaged with organization leaders and staff to develop a communications plan. The collaboration resulted in a guiding document containing three-year goals and specific action steps to increase the organization’s visibility, communicate its signal achievements, and increase its opportunities to participate in the development of national policies that support person-centered care.
Design of Benefits Package for Washington State. AHP partnered with TriWest Group (prime contractor) to review Washington State’s benefits package for adults and children with mental disorders. The purpose was to identify evidence-based mental health practices and other culturally relevant/promising practice services for possible inclusion in the State’s benefits package. The team conducted research and drafted reports summarizing a wide range of practices with empirical support for possible inclusion in the State’s benefit package. To this end, AHP assessed the perspectives expressed by Washington State’s Strategic Transformation Initiative Task Force, Community Forums, and focus groups with Tribal representatives in Washington State.
Homelessness and Housing
Fidelity Tool for Supportive Housing. For SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), AHP led the development of a widely disseminated resource kit on Permanent Supportive Housing. Development involved coordination with national experts within and outside the Federal government, as well as key organizations that provide supportive housing and related technical assistance nationally. A critical component of the toolkit is a fidelity scale that enables people to assess the degree to which their current program is in line with the evidence-based practice. Development of the tool is a landmark accomplishment that underlines the constructive role played by CMHS in national implementation of evidence-based practices.
Services in Supportive Housing. AHP provides comprehensive technical assistance (TA) to Services in Supportive Housing (SSH) grantees of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) to help them develop the full potential of their programs. AHP conducts problem-focused, technical assistance site visits to address areas where grantees may be experiencing difficulties achieving the objectives of their grants; to assist with implementation of clinical programs; to develop sustainability plans; to strengthen administrative infrastructures; to improve performance on TRAC outcome measures; and to enhance the skills of administrators and clinical staff in a variety of key performance areas. In addition, AHP assesses the impact and cost effectiveness of TA delivered to grantees and supports HPB with quantitative and qualitative analysis and evaluation of the SSH program.
Support for Local Systems Transformation. AHP helped Detroit/Wayne County, Michigan, establish a culture to support recovery, supportive housing, and supported employment. Activities included conducting on-site assessment, participating in meetings with individual stakeholders, mentoring participating agencies, and providing recommendations. To build the skills and understanding needed to implement these evidence-based practices, AHP developed and delivered basic and follow-up training to Detroit/Wayne County provider agencies, programs, and other stakeholders on supportive housing and supported employment "From Principles to Practice." In addition, AHP helped Detroit/Wayne County to develop the program capacity and infrastructure required to sustain these initiatives and implement recovery-oriented programs.
Mental Health Policy and Services
Strategic Plan for CMHS. AHP supported the SAMHSA Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) in developing a strategic forecast that examines the first 5 years of mental health transformation and projects strategic activities for the Center over the next 5 years. A senior staff member served as lead writer for plan development. She gathered data from written documents and key informants at SAMHSA, CMHS, and the mental health field, including consumers and family members; developed a structure for the strategic forecast and a set of key themes; and prepared and revised the plan document.
Revisions to Block Grant Program. AHP supported SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) in revising the guidance and instructions for the Fiscal Year 2009-2011 Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG). The guidance, prepared within a timeline of less than three months, involved convening a working group of Federal and state stakeholders for three meetings to discuss possible revisions to the MHBG. The revised language significantly reduces the burden on states by permitting them to report planned expenditures in only six categories, while still ensuring that CMHS receives important information that is needed to justify Federal appropriations for the MHBG.
Strategic Planning and Organizational Development
Strategic Planning for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). AHP worked closely with HRSA’s Office of Performance Review (OPR) to prepare a strategic plan. AHP conducted research to identify best practices appropriate to the plan requirements, then collaborated with HRSA staff to "drill down" to create subtasks and time scales. Following acceptance of the draft, AHP developed a final version that detailed the steps, tasks, and timeline for each stage of the strategic plan.
Assessing the Impact of Performance Reviews. AHP helped the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) develop an ongoing process for capturing and documenting the impact of performance reviews and related TA on grantee performance. The task team reviewed existing training materials, reports, and surveys; conducted interviews with Division Directors, Performance Reviewers, and grantees; and developed an operational definition of "impact." The team was able to develop several methods for the Office of Performance Review to choose from in order to achieve its objectives.
Federal Action Plan. AHP helped SAMHSA develop a Federal Action Agenda that specifies actions by key Federal agencies in an effort to move the Nation’s public and private mental health service delivery systems toward the visionary goal of a mental health system that builds resilience and facilitates recovery. Preparation of the Federal Action Agenda required sensitivity to the multiple perspectives that different Federal agencies bring to the topic of mental health transformation and to the potential political ramifications of some of the proposed action steps. AHP staff drafted several versions of the report, synthesizing multiple contributions. The same AHP staff also facilitated the development of a second product updating the plan and reporting progress.
Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention
Treating the Untreated. In partnership with the State Association of Addiction Services (SAAS), AHP analyzed promising practices to address the needs of nearly 24 million people with untreated substance use disorders. For SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), AHP conducted an extensive literature review that examined how individual, program and system-level factors interact to facilitate or inhibit treatment-seeking by different populations. AHP identified 10 approaches used by other health service fields to reduce treatment barriers and engage populations that are resistant or hard to reach, then envisioned how they might be applied to reach untreated persons with substance use disorders. Finally, AHP staff examined the policy implications of the team’s findings and identified further opportunities to address the problem.
Alternatives to Incarceration Program for St. Maarten. AHP helped the Island Territory Government of St. Maarten make strategic changes to its criminal justice system to address the problem of persons with substance use disorders cycling through the system. AHP assisted the rehabilitation agency to handle assessment, case management, and monitoring as the central "hub" of the restorative justice system, which provide mandated care to residents who are homeless and/or drug-addicted. Specifically, AHP helped develop a half-way house, comprehensive substance abuse treatment capacity, prevention services, a program for at-risk adolescents, mental health services, and employment and training.
Workforce Development and Employment Programs
Behavioral Health Workforce Development. For SAMHSA, AHP is leading a national, multi-year initiative to overcome a severe workforce crisis in behavioral health. Under this initiative, AHP has developed a portal aggregator website of critical workforce development information, including best practices and a recruitment and retention toolkit. AHP also developed core competencies for working with woman and children and a core competency diffusion toolkit.
Stepping Up. AHP was contracted by the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) to guide the development of a career advancement initiative known as Stepping Up. The project was designed to create career ladder jobs for tenants of supportive housing and homeless individuals in the fields of the Social Services, Medical Office Technologies, and Property Management (Housing Industry). With CSH and its local partners, AHP provided the assistance and expertise to develop a 24-credit series of programs in Property Management that was approved by the Illinois community college board.