|
OBRA Services is an outreach program
directed toward consumers experiencing symptoms of
mental illness and/or developmental disabilities that
reside or are at risk of residing in extended care
facilities/nursing homes within Saginaw County. Theses
services were developed in The Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act developed in 1987. The intent of
these services is to ensure that consumers with mental
illnesses and/or developmental disabilities are residing
in the most appropriate and least restrictive settings
adequately meet their mental health and medical
needs. The purpose of OBRA services in the nursing home
is to continually assess, consult, and intervene with
consumers until mental health symptoms are stabilized or
until the consumer can move to a less restrictive
environment.
The PASARR program assesses a
person’s medical and mental health needs to determine
the most appropriate placement setting and then to
annually review those approved for nursing home
placement to ensure that nursing home placement remains
appropriate.
PASARR (Pre-Admission
Screening/Annual Resident Review) is an assessment that
screens consumers with diagnoses of mental illnesses
and/or developmental disabilities whom are targeted for
nursing home placement. The assessment consists of a
nursing, psychosocial and psychiatric evaluation. When screening someone with a developmental disability
additional assessments including psychological testing,
occupational and speech therapy evaluations are
required.
The preadmission screening is
conducted in a variety of settings prior to nursing home
placement and the annual assessment is completed yearly
in the nursing home.
Return to Top
OBRA is a service providing mental
health consultation with nursing home staff to ensure
that consumers approved for nursing home admission
through the PASARR process are receiving appropriate
mental health treatment. The staff are human service
professionals, including but not limited to MSWs, LLPs,
LPCs, RNs and BSWs. There are two levels of services
provided by the community mental health board in the
nursing home setting: NH monitoring and individual
psychotherapy NH monitoring can include
recommendations concerning how to appropriately address
the mental health needs of nursing home residents. Such recommendations can include referral to individual
therapy or psychiatric services, as well as ideas for
socialization, communication, behavioral modification,
staff training, and linking with community resources and
enhanced socialization including community outings. The OBRA staff provide individual therapy to decrease mental
health symptoms and assist nursing homes with discharges
to less restrictive placements once medical needs
subside. This department also provides activity therapy
in the nursing home setting to enhance socialization and
increase cognitive stimulation. Mental health
technicians provide the latter services.
Return to Top
|
