MAYVILLE, N.Y. – Chautauqua Tapestry is pleased to share a brief summary of the impactful first year of its four-year federal grant (2023-2027) awarded through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This $4 million grant supports the strengthening and expansion of Chautauqua County’s system of care.
The Chautauqua Tapestry operates locally under the supervision of the Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene (CCDMH). Most communities have care services, but do not function as one "system". A System of Care (SOC) is a network of programs and services delivered to children, youth, and families. SOC is an organizational philosophy that creates a framework for support recognizing that children and families have needs in many areas of life. Chautauqua Tapestry focuses on children and youth 0 to 21 years of age who are at risk for or diagnosed with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) and their families. The grant seeks to integrate behavioral health services into every level of the community.
Key Priorities for Chautauqua County’s SOC Include:
- Identify SOC gaps and generate solutions to address and resolve them collaboratively.
- Provide an evidence-based and culturally appropriate continuum of behavioral health supports and services to children, youth, and young adults, with or at risk of Social Emotional Disturbance (SED)/Serious Mental Illness (SMI).
- Implement services and supports to promote and sustain family and youth engagement and involvement in the SOC.
- Promote trauma-informed and grief-informed approaches to care services to enhance recovery and mental health wellness while addressing behavioral health disparities.
- Develop referral pathways to prepare children and youth with or at risk of SED for successful transition to adulthood; to adult roles, responsibilities, and recovery support services.
Key Year-One Highlights:
- Expanding Access: Enhanced screening, assessment, and referral pathways to ensure children and youth receive timely, effective services, including expanded integration with schools and community-based organizations.
- Strengthening Supports: Provided support and trauma-informed care training for providers and conducted community mapping in collaboration with CCDMH Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHC) to assess care integration.
- Community Collaboration: Engaged in partnerships with local schools, colleges, and community organizations, such as Boys and Girls Clubs and pediatric offices. Supported expansion of Prevention Works Evidence Based PAX training and implementation.
- Building Capacity: Conducted workforce training on evidence-based programs including Youth Mental Health First Aid, Adult Mental Health First Aid, It’s REAL, Sources of Strength, and SAFE-T assessments, alongside peer-driven suicide prevention initiatives.
- Family Engagement: Supported Hillside Family of Agencies to establish and provide Family and Youth Peer Support Services.
These efforts are part of the groundwork for long-term improvements in mental health and wellness for Chautauqua County’s youth, and the families that support them. As Tapestry moves into Year Two, the focus will be to deepen collaborations, advancing grief-informed care initiatives, and expanding outreach to underserved populations.
Stay tuned for updates on the goals and initiatives planned for Year Two of the Chautauqua Tapestry grant. You can learn more about Chautauqua Tapestry, available evidence-based practices and other outreach efforts, by visiting www.tapestrychq.com or www.chqgov.com/mental-hygiene.
To learn more about SAMHSA, SED, and SMI visit https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use/treatment/co-occurring-disorders.
