NHA'S Project Enable Wellness & Recovery Center Undergoes Major Transformation

NHA's Project Enable program, a mental health recovery-focused program, recently underwent transformation of its systems and procedures in order to provide improved client services, while minimizing costs and maximizing efficiency. Because of the size and scope of the program, the redesign took just about a year to complete, with more changes on the way.

Project Enable has two service components. The BPSR Treatment Center delivers a wide array of services to adults 18 years and older with serious and persistent mental illness, including those with co-occurring substance use disorder. The program's Friendship Clubhouse is a member-driven, psychosocial rehabilitation program that focuses on socialization, social and independent living skills enhancement, wellness and recovery, recreation and vocational rehabilitation.

Project Enable rose to the challenge and successfully redesigned all aspects of both program operations and client care. Highlights of the revamping include the development of an integrated care coordination system, better administrative organization, incorporation of culturally-relevant approaches to care that meet the needs of the program's target population, redesign of the intake process and service components, development of community partnerships and collaborations, formation of a program advisory board and other changes that provide a higher level of service to clients.

"One of our main goals in this program redesign was to excel at forming more partnerships, with other nearby clinics and health care providers, in order to enhance the array of services offered to clients and their families," said Project Enable Program Director Evelina Jaime, LCSW.

Examples of these partnerships are the programs agreement with the San Diego State Foundation to provide Roadmap to Recovery peer run groups at the clinic to its clients and with University of California San Diego to provide nutrition and physical fitness classes to Hispanic women with psychosis.

The program recently initiated an innovative collaboration with San Ysidro Health Center to integrate specialty mental health and primary care health care via referral, consultation and cooperation. This model is now being used in other mental health specialty programs with community primary care clinics throughout the County.

With the support and partnership of the County of San Diego, Health and Human Services, Project Enable is planning another service expansion, adding walk-in and geriatric specialty service components.

"We believe that Project Enable is evolving into a community model of service that is innovative, cost effective and that utilizes the strengths of residents, clients and community leaders to better serve its members," said Jaime.