Drop-In Center

Gratiot Integrated Health Network

Program Description

Drop-In Center

Service Codes: n/a

Program Philosophy: Gratiot Integrated Health Network provides services to build resilience, and to support the recovery or well-being of individuals and the integration of individuals served into the community. Through service provision, symptoms or needs will be reduced and individuals will experience an improvement in level of functioning in their environment. The program strives to continually improve service provision in order that individuals served experience an enhanced quality of life.

Program Goals:  The goal of the Drop-In Center is to provide peer-delivered or peer-operated support services that give individuals opportunities to learn and share coping skills and strategies, move into assistance that is more active and away from passive roles, and to build and/or enhance self-esteem and self-confidence.  Consumer-operated services assist consumers to become self-reliant and improve the quality of their lives through the meaningful participation in self-governed activities in the community.  The Drop-In Center is a mental-health, stigma-free environment that promotes mental health recovery.

Services/Scope of Services:  The Pine Avenue Drop-In Center contracts with Gratiot Integrated Health Network to provide peer driven services.  Peer-Run Drop-In Centers provide an informal, supportive environment to assist people with mental illness in the recovery process.  If an individual chooses to participate in Peer-Run Drop-In Center services, such services may be included in a Person-Centered Plan if medically necessary.

The Pine Avenue Drop-In Center is required, per Medicaid regulations, to be located at a non-Community Mental Health location.  The address of the Center is 340 Pine Avenue, adjacent to downtown Alma, Michigan.  The Pine Avenue Drop-In Center is generally open Monday through Friday with the daily hours of operation specified according to the Board of Directors and at the request of its membership.  The Pine Avenue Drop-In Center is accessible for all persons with physical disabilities.

An individual with mental illness who is currently or has ever been served by a mental health service provider (public or private) may attend the Drop-In Center.  The individual’s primary GIHN Clinician may refer a consumer for services; however, a person does not have to be a public mental health consumer to attend the Drop-In Center, thus referrals might be from primary care physicians, other Drop-In Center members, self-referral, etc.  Drop-In Center members choose their own frequency for attending; however, if attending as part of a Medicaid covered service, the Drop-In Center must be specified in the Person-Centered Plan.

The funding source for the Drop-In Center is Medicaid funded for Community Mental Health consumers.  In addition, the Drop-In Center may conduct fundraisers on their own behalf within the restrictions and regulations of a 501(c)3 organization.

Admission/Re-Admission Criteria:  An individual who is currently or has ever been served by a mental health service provider may attend the Drop-In Center.  When requested as part of a service array for eligible Medicaid beneficiaries, admission to Gratiot Integrated Health Network is via the Access Department and establishing eligibility as an individual in programs for adults with Serious Mental Illness.  An intake assessment would follow and include an exchange of information to be used as pre-planning for the person-centered planning session.  At the time of the subsequent person-centered planning meeting, the clinician, person served, family and/or other natural supports work together to determine and agree upon supports needed to fulfill their Person-Centered Plan.  The Drop-In Center would be identified as a requested service with corresponding goals established.

It is the policy of Gratiot Integrated Health Network Service Program to contract with service providers who are sensitive to the cultural and socio-economic needs of the individual in a nondiscriminatory and/or non-threatening manner.

Ineligibility for attendance at the Drop-In Center is within the judgment of the Drop-In Center Board of Directors.

Transition/Discharge Criteria:  Attendance at the Drop-In Center is voluntary and individuals may attend even when no longer engaged in other services provided by Community Mental Health.