“Locally, human services departments have experienced an influx of inquiries from residents seeking mental health support services with long waitlists and other barriers preventing clients from pursuing treatment,” said Elaine Daignault, Westport’s human services director.

By partnering, the three communities are able to share the cost and in turn offer more services than they might by themselves. 

“Cost sharing is an effective way to expand services and increase efficiency while enhancing community connections,” Daignault said.

The program is using American Rescue Plan Act funds to pilot the program and make it more affordable, she said. 

Approaching it regionally also lets them share knowledge and better connect residents to the resources they need.

“I love collaborating with neighboring towns because collectively, we are stronger and wiser, ultimately building greater capacity across the state,” she said. “While every community is unique, human services departments share similar challenges that are best addressed collaboratively and without reinventing the wheel.” 

Mental health is the top priority Connecticut’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services is addressing in the region, according to Southwestern Connecticut’s Regional Behavioral Health Action Organization. It’s followed by suicide, alcohol use, cannabis, tobacco/electronic nicotine delivery systems, prescription drug use, heroin/illicit drugs, gambling and cocaine, Daignault said.

Allison Lisbon, social services director for Weston, said mental health needs of residents have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. 

One in five U.S. adults experience mental illness annually and one in six youths between 6 and 17 experience a mental health disorder annually, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. 

“The complexity and severity of cases referred to human services departments include reports of financial insecurity, housing challenges, and steady requests for mental health resources,” Daignault said. “More referrals from police, fire, EMS, and schools reveal alarming rates of untreated mental health conditions affecting the health and safety of entire households and neighborhoods.”

Lisbon said the partnership with these three towns was natural, due to the proximity, similar community needs and history of working together.

Sarah Heath, Wilton’s social services’ director, said the town saw a need for more immediate and affordable mental health options about two years ago and started looking into contracting a counseling agency. 

“Many nonprofits have waitlists, so contracting with Positive Directions enabled us to accomplish both,” Heath said. “Similar issues were found in Westport and Weston and we decided to contract with Positive Directions to provide mental health options for residents in need of counseling in a timely manner.”

The contract is being negotiated to officially start.

She said the three-town partnership “shows our commitment to providing accessible and affordable counseling for our residents.”

Daignault said service personnel manage situations throughout the day, including calls to help youth, family conflicts, senior isolation and caregiver anxiety.

She said human services staff provide short-term stability, but there is a need for more accessible and in-depth counseling so residents can have greater independence and improve their mental health.

There will be a direct referral process within the three towns through Positive Directions, assigning people to a counselor, Daignault said. Though the program is just starting out, the three towns’ human services departments fund seven hours per week of a Positive Direction’s clinician’s time. 

“Each individual referred through one of the 3Ws will have undergone an initial intake with Human Services staff to determine eligibility,” she said.

This eligibility is determined based on a person’s financial need, the crisis situation and if it is an acute or chronic untreated mental health disorder, Daignault added. 

Once they are referred, they will receive two free counseling sessions, including a behavioral health assessment and initial treatment plan. After, if the person chooses to continue treatment with Positive Directions, they will use insurance or another method of payment, she said. Positive Directions takes most insurance and works with clients who may have financial struggles. 

Heath said the person or family will get an appointment within a week. 

“Ideally, the individual would continue with counseling at Positive Directions or receive a referral for other mental health supports which may, or may not, include medication management, support groups, and peer support,” Daignault said. 

Daignault said interested residents should reach out to their town’s human services department and request an appointment with a social worker. The social worker will determine what resources may help and make a direct referral for mental counseling with the client’s permission if that’s one of the desired approaches.

“As we are all state licensed mental health professionals, we know how difficult it can be to reach out for help, and we are here for you to make this process as easy as possible,” Heath said.

As far as the three directors know, this is a unique initiative within the state. However, Daignault said all human services departments are collaborative, as they often refer to other agencies for services, and work together regionally to address common issues in the state.

“Perhaps this pilot will garner positive results with an increase in access to mental health support, and other agencies may follow suit,” Daignault said. “Although many municipalities may already have contracts with agencies to provide counseling referrals.” 

Heath said she is hopeful that the program will be successful in helping residents seek counseling, and perhaps other towns can consider something similar. 

“I believe programs like this allow us to gather valuable information about the mental health needs of our community while minimizing costs by sharing services with neighboring towns,” Lisbon said.

kayla.mutchler@hearstmediact.com