Keystone Human Services - Comprehensive community based mental retardation, mental health, autism and early intervention services

Keystone Services of Maryland

Services

Targeted Case Management

Through Keystone Community Mental Health, Keystone Services of Maryland provides Targeted Case Management Services (TCM) for both adults with serious mental illness, and children who are mentally ill or at risk of mental illness, as well as Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services for children and adolescents.

Targeted Case Management is a very intense type of monitoring and case management service which has been funded in many states to reduce hospitalizations and frequent and inappropriate use of emergency rooms by severely ill mentally ill individuals.

By making assessments, referrals, and linkages to formal and informal services, TCM helps people acquire the resources they need, and facilitates the development of skills that improve their social functioning. While TCM in Maryland is relatively new, this type of service nationally and in Pennsylvania where Keystone also provides these services had demonstrated clear reductions in high cost inpatient and ER usage.

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program

Keystone Services of Maryland also provides Psychiatric Rehabilitation for Children and Adolescents. Simply stated, our concept of Psychiatric Rehabilitation/Habilitation for children and adolescents is "Learning by Doing". We provide an after school and summer model, that offer several 6 to 8 week learning modules which target specific skill development needs. These modules are provided on-site after school, or taken to other sites like schools, residential treatment facilities (RTFs), community centers, or other locations.

"Support and empower people challenged by mental illness develop the means to live with dignity and respect."

Some examples of these modules are daily living skills, anger management, communication skills, frustration tolerance, organizational skills (particularly valuable with children having ADHD), goal setting, peer interaction, problem solving, reduction in impulsive behavior (STOP-THINK-GO), conflict resolution, Rational Emotive Therapy (RET, or positive self talk), Skill Streaming, nutrition and cooking, and PATHS (Providing Alternative Thinking Strategies) among others. Within the on-site after school program we provide educational supports, such as tutoring for children having academic problems, recreational activities, as well as modules as discussed above.

We offer parents regular progress assessments either on-site using family activity nights (allowing us to see family and sibling interaction), or if parents choose, in-home, or school interactions. The parent and child have choices about how skill development is learned and reinforced. In addition, parents and children who can not, or will not participate in on-site services, are offered in-home or off-site services. All staff work both on-site, and off-site so that training and experience in the content of the modules is applied wherever services are provided.

Homeless to Housing Program

Homeless to Housing Services are designed to provide supportive services to men, women and families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. They may also experience mental illness, substance abuse or HIV/AIDS. Programmatic goals are to help participants obtain or remain in permanent safe and affordable housing, increase their skills and income, and achieve greater self-determination and independence.

This service provides families and individuals assistance in obtaining Federal, State and local finances available to residents. Help is also provided in finding vocational and mental health benefits and services. Linkages are made to such services as job skills assessment, job training, life skills training, substance abuse rehabilitation, veterans' benefits, medical assistance, psychosocial rehabilitation, and income support assistance, such as Supplemental Security Income benefits, Aid to Families with Dependent Children, General Assistance, and Food Stamps.