INNOVATION (INN)

Innovation (INN) projects are novel, creative and/or ingenious mental health practices/approaches that contribute to learning, and that are developed within communities through a process that is inclusive and representative, especially of un-served, under-served and inappropriately served individuals. Funds for INN may be used for increasing access to underserved groups, increasing the quality of services including better outcomes, promoting interagency collaboration, and increasing access to services.  These guidelines provide direction while maintaining the spirit of flexibility intended by the MHSA for this component.

Shasta County’s INN plan currently includes the following programs:

Hope Park multigenerational teen centers
NEW: Request for budget increase to Hope Park innovations project: Draft letter, revised budget, original agreement and first amendment
Shasta County stakeholders chose to pursue an intergenerational project because of the high prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in Shasta County, as well as an identified need to help reduce loneliness and depression among older adults. Innovations projects are centered on a “learning question,” and this project’s learning question asks: Does an intergenerational connection based on shared experiences and meaningful interactions increase hope scores and wellbeing and reduce suicidal ideation among older adults and youth? To answer that learning question, this program will focus on Shasta County residents who are over 60 years old (Older Adults) and local youth, age 12 to 18 (Youth). Through this program, Older Adults will have meaningful activities to help prevent the negative physical and mental health effects of loneliness, and Youth will have a safe place to gather at a time of day that they are most likely to engage in risky behavior. Older Adults will also be invited to participate in high-adventure activities with the Youth. This program flips the script and brings active Older Adults into a place where Youth gather, rather than the traditional approach of bringing young people into places where Older Adults gather. Activities will include mentoring, skill sharing, preparing healthy meals together, karate, yoga, financial literacy, life skills, high-adventure activities, and more. Bringing these generations together with bonding activities will create meaningful interactions between Older Adults and Youth, with the goal of reducing or mitigating high ACEs for Youth and reducing social isolation in Older Adults. For Older Adults, loneliness and social isolation significantly increase the risk of dementia and mental health disorders. Ongoing activities and programming will include mentoring, identifying strengths that Youth can build upon when making life decisions and personal choices. Through this program, Youth and Older Adults will benefit from meaningful connection, relationship building, and sharing of life experiences with each other.
Timeline for approvals (find stakeholder meeting minutes here, Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board meeting minutes here, and Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting minutes here):

• October 2, 2018 stakeholder meeting: Discussed the need for a new Innovation project. MHSA Coordinator Kerri Schuette reviewed the gaps identified in the 3-year plan survey, and a variety of ideas were generated by stakeholders, including the idea for perhaps pairing seniors with youth in a project. This could address two different challenges in our community – isolation and depression among older adults, and the high rate of Adverse Childhood Experiences.
• January 9, 2019 stakeholder meeting: Brainstormed additional ideas for a new Innovations project.
• April 9, 2019 stakeholder meeting: Discussed concepts again for a new innovations project. The intergenerational project idea was one of four projects that was discussed. 
• July 16, 2019 stakeholder meeting: Michael Burke, executive director of Pathways to Hope for Children, proposed his idea for an intergenerational project. A roundtable discussion followed, and some stakeholders were concerned that the project might not be truly innovative, so the group talked about that together. There was broad support by attendees.
• January 14, 2020 stakeholder meeting: MHSA coordinator announced that HHSA had released a Request for Proposals for an Innovation project. This process is run by the county’s Purchasing department. The county received responses from four organizations, an evaluation committee reviewed all responses, and Pathways to Hope for Children’s proposal for Hope Park was selected.
• December 7, 2020: HHSA published a 30-day notice for public comment, and nine public comments were received, all in support.
• January 6, 2021: During the Shasta County Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board (MHADAB) regular meeting, the 30-day public comment period was closed, a public comment period was held and MHADAB approved the Hope Park proposal.
• March 2, 2021: Shasta County Board of Supervisors voted to submit an application for this project to the state Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission.
• November 18, 2021: Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission unanimously approved the project. 
• February 8, 2022: Shasta County Board of Supervisors approved agreement with Pathways to Hope for Children to use approved MHSA Innovations funding for the Hope Park program to launch within the existing Anderson Teen Center and a future City of Redding teen center (location to be determined).  
• March 1, 2022: Shasta County Board of Supervisors approved contract amendment identifying the Redding teen center location, which will be 2981 Churn Creek Road.  

Psychiatric Advance Directives multi-county project
PADs are a form of Supportive Decision-Making, whereby people work with friends, family members, and professionals to may make their own informed decisions and direct their lives. The process of developing a PAD, with support from family, friends, healthcare providers and others, can help people when not in a crisis to clarify their preferences for treatment so that they will receive appropriate support and care, especially during mental health crises. When handled skillfully, a PAD is a powerful tool to increase a person's quality of care within the mental health and justice-involved settings. The five participating counties plan to use Innovation Funds to develop the infrastructure for sustainable PADs use in the state of California. With assistance and oversight from the Multi-County Innovation PADs Project Manager, the administrative staff of Syracuse University will serve as a subject matter expert in the fields of evaluation, disability rights, technology, legislation and policy advocacy, and other areas, to assist in the development and implementation of the PADs project. Work done by subcontractors will include, but is not limited to: engaging stakeholders, advocacy groups, consumers, and peers with lived experience; developing a standardized PADs template, training resources and a toolkit (all in multiple languages); building a PADs accessibility platform; providing recommendations for statewide PADs legislation, policy, and procedures; and providing outcomes and evaluations for the project. Counties will work with their stakeholders to identify priority populations to use PADs. Lessons learned from the evaluation will lead to more robust and effective community conversations, training, and PADs rollout and ensure quality and fidelity. Ultimately, a PADs toolkit will be created for standardization and ease of use throughout the state of California.
Timeline for approvals (find stakeholder meeting minutes here, Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board meeting minutes here, and Shasta County Board of Supervisors meeting minutes here):

• March 30, 2021 stakeholder meeting: MHSA Coordinator Kerri Schuette explained the multi-county Psychiatric Advance Directives proposal and requested feedback, which was positive.
• June 23, 2021: Shasta County Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug Advisory Board (MHADAB) approved participation in the Psychiatric Advance Directives project.
• June 24, 2021: Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission approved the multi-county proposal for PADs.
• September 14, 2021: Shasta County Board of Supervisors approved Shasta County's participation in PADs.
• September 28, 2021 stakeholder meeting: MHSA Coordinator Kerri Schuette gave an update on the multi-county Psychiatric Advance Directives proposal. 
• March 1, 2022: Shasta County Board of Supervisors approved agreement with Syracuse University to use part of the approved MHSA Innovations funding for program management and consultation services for this project.

The following Innovations project was recently completed:
CARE Center (completed): To determine if providing access to mental health services after traditional office hours would improve access to services, reduce mental health crises (including trips to the hospital emergency departments) and bridge service gaps, HHSA contracted with Hill County Health and Wellness Center to provide new and expanded mental health services at the Counseling and Recovery Engagement (CARE) Center. Funding was provided through the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) for the Innovation Project portion of this center. The CARE Center contract was approved as of January 2017, and with the conclusion of the Innovations project, this project is now funded by the Community Services and Supports component of MHSA.