Our commitment to enhancing individual and community health through the delivery of a comprehensive, cost effective and integrated system of behavioral health care is evidenced through our programs and services. It is through this system that Connections promotes wellness, healing and quality of life. We currently serve just under 6,000 individuals of all diagnoses, across all ages in the lifespan in numerous unique programs. Consumers of Connections receive experienced, evidence based, and best practice treatment, across several levels of outpatient care customized to meet their unique needs. Our programs are staffed with a multidisciplinary team of professionals who provide a holistic and collaborative approach to care. Each program offers the following core services: comprehensive behavioral health assessment, Community Psychiatric Supportive Treatment (CPST), counseling, peer support, and pharmacological management.
The Dual Diagnosis Program recognizes the special needs of the dually diagnosed adult who is challenged with both chemical dependency and mental illness. The provision of outpatient alcohol, drug, and dual diagnosis services are designed to assist consumers in identifying and coming to acceptance of their addiction and mental illness, initiating a process of recovery, effectively developing and utilizing personal, community and social support systems, and promoting abstinence from alcohol and other drugs. The DD Program recognizes that these challenges must be addressed concurrently in order for consumers to maintain abstinence from alcohol and other drugs and stabilize mental illness. +back to top+
The Child and Adolescent Program recognizes that emotional turmoil can have a devastating effect on a child’s school performance, relationships and self-esteem. Beginning with a comprehensive evaluation, treatment options include psychological testing, individual and group therapy, in-home counseling, CPST services, and medication management. Our clinicians work in conjunction with schools and other systems involved with children and families. Connections strongly believes that effective treatment hinges on involving parents and caregivers as they are the primary support of change for children. With proper diagnosis and intervention, a child can regain and develop the emotional well being and behavioral control necessary for successful school, family and peer experiences . +back to top+
A safety net is in place to manage the specific mental health needs
of adults involved in the criminal justice system. Through a team
of forensically trained mental health professionals, this program coordinates
with the courts to ensure consumers receive a variety of services to
address their unique needs. Treatment and stabilization of symptoms maximizes
opportunities for our consumers who are court involved. Psychiatric stabilization
to enable recidivism, diversion, and reentry and reintegration through
mental health care is the primary goal of this program. The clinicians of
the Forensic Program, including our Jail Liason, are familiar with
Cuyahoga County Courts, probation and parole officers through regular collaboration
and communication.
+back to top+
At Connections, we understand that providing older individuals with the most appropriate treatment successfully prepares them to maintain maximum independence and quality of life. The Geriatric Program strives to enhance the therapeutic and cost effectiveness of medical/psychiatric treatment efforts. This is accomplished by establishing a viable and productive partnership between the elder care system and the behavioral health treatment community. The program provides a sense of community within a safe environment for geriatric consumers where each client is viewed as an individual with unique needs requiring individualized care and planning. +back to top+
Treatment of severe mental disorders such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder often require different levels of intervention appropriate to the intensity of the symptom presentation and the resulting impact on a person’s functioning. At Connections, we offer an Intensive Outpatient Program as a level of care with a higher intensity of services for our consumers focusing on reduction of hospitalization. Group CPST is a significant intervention modality of this program. The program offers each consumer, based on individual needs, access to groups that address coping skills, communication skills, socialization issues, side effects to medication, recovery methods through development of plan of recovery, and consumer to consumer and multi-family support. +back to top+
Our most intensive level of services, the ACT program is afforded adults with severe and persistent mental illness, and include the full range of intensive, community-based services, provided by an interdisciplinary team. The goals of the ACT program include assisting consumers to live more successfully in the community, reducing inpatient hospitalizations, aiding consumers in better managing their illness, and promoting an improved quality of life based on the client’s preferences and treatment goals. Through increased contact and intervention, the goal is to maintain the client in the community (i.e., avoid hospitalization) and enhance their overall level of functioning. +back to top+
Using the outpatient setting of Connections, a comprehensive array of services are offered to adults with chronic mental illness, and are aimed at assisting the consumer obtain and maintain independence in the community. Although less intensive than its ACT counterpart, the Adult SMD program is also multidisciplinary, and is designed to eliminate barriers to living independently, improve quality of life, reduce hospitalizations and assist with daily living and coping skills. +back to top+
Connections provides comprehensive outpatient treatment for children, adults and families who are Deaf or hard of hearing, and in need of mental health services. Fully understanding the Deaf community, our clinicians are sensitive to their unique needs. Having a provider proficient in American Sign Language enables our consumers to work directly with their clinicians instead of needing to have an interpreter as an additional person in the room when addressing their mental health needs. +back to top+
North Ridge Commons is based on the 'Housing First' model and designed for homeless, older adults and seniors age 50 and over, who have experienced severe and persistent mental health disabilities and chronic homelessness. Connections is located on site at NRC provides a wide array of treatment services to residents of NRC and consumers of Connections in order to enhance quality of life and maintain independent housing status. +back to top+
Connections provides care to both pregnant and postpartum women who struggle with depression, anxiety, substance use, and other mental health issues. The Women’s Mental Health and Perinatal Clinic also specializes in general women’s mental health and perimenopausal mood disorders. Treatment is provided collaboratively with each client’s existing OB/GYN, family practitioner or pediatric provider. +back to top+
