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Senior
Outreach Counseling
Offices
Located Downstairs At
940
Cummins Pkwy, Des Moines 50312
PROGRAM
SUMMARY: The Senior Outreach Counseling (SOC), developed in 1989, provides
in-home mental health services in Polk and Warren Counties to persons at least 60 years of
age. A highly qualified and dedicated team comprised of three clinical
social workers, one gerontologist, one bachelor's level registered nurse and a
mental health counselor provide the services. One of the team members is a
certified alcohol and drug counselor. The Clinical Director at Eyerly-Ball
leads the program. A psychiatrist provides consultation to the team.
The
program is structured such that team members may be flexible in their work with
elders. For instance, if isolation is
contributing to the depression and the person is physically able to leave home,
the team member may facilitate the senior starting at a senior center and may
meet the person there the first time.
Team members occasionally serve as a case manager through the frail and
elderly case management program of the local Area Agency on Aging. Team members are knowledgeable about the
resources for seniors in the communities and often refer or connect elders with
resources.
Most
of the persons in the program are able to stay in their homes because of the
interventions of SOC. A few may move to
improved housing as a result of the success of being in the program. Others may continue with meal site
attendance, Senior Companions or Friendly Visitors, which they began while
receiving SOC services. Mental health
issue may be resolved through SOC counseling and in-home SOC arranged services. Some elders continue needing SOC services
until death or a move to a nursing home.
SOC
staff also provide consultation and education regarding mental health at the
meal sites/senior centers of Polk County, to individual seniors, family members
and neighbors as well as to medical persons, community providers and
organizations. The team members are very
willing to make presentations within the community. Team members also serve on a number of
advisory boards, coalitions and committees whose function is to advocate and
provide improved services and programs for elderly.
The
newest service of the SOC program provides collaboration with primary care
physicians (PCP) in their offices. A social worker spends part of the day in 4
PCP offices, conferring with physicians and other office staff regarding mental
health concerns of patients that are identified by the physician. The social
worker is available to meet with the patients when they are in the office for a
regular appointment and are also available to meet with a patient in the home,
if that is preferred. Close collaboration with the physician continues
throughout the time SOC is involved.
ELIGIBILITY
CRITERIA: Persons need to be at least 60 years old and
reside in Polk or Warren
Counties to receive services. The eligible person will present with an
emotional or mental health issue. In
addition to age and residency requirements, the referred person will
demonstrate a need to be served at home.
This can include such reasons as the person's own health problems, care
of another person at home, transportation difficulties or the unlikelihood of
Senior
Outreach Counseling accessing
services in a mental health clinic. The
person also needs to be able to benefit from the services; for instance, a
person with severe dementia will more likely be better served through another
provider.
PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE:
The primary
funding source for psychotherapy, consultation, and education is Polk County mental health monies. In addition, the program receives a federal
grant to serve elders with chronic mental illness and Senior Living funds for Warren County residents. SOC also provides mental health services
through the Elderly Waiver.
HOW TO MAKE A REFERRAL:
Referrals may be
made by the elder himself/herself or a family member or neighbor. Referrals can also come from family
physicians, psychiatrists or hospitals, as well as case managers, housing
managers or any other concerned person.
Call
the Intake Coordinator at 277-0630. The
process of referral takes about 10 minutes.
Questions asked include:
Name, address, phone number, directions to
the home, Social Security Number, birth date
Elder aware of the referral? (preferred)
Reason for referral
Expectations of the referent
Physicians and medications
Ability to dress, drive, take medications,
etc.
Emergency contacts
Once
a referral is received, the case is assigned to a team member who schedules an
initial appointment with the elder to complete an assessment. Participation in the program is voluntary. Strengths, needs, and physical and mental
health status are identified in the assessment.
PROGRAM GOALS: The elder identifies goals with direction by
the team member. The objective for the
elder is completion of the goals established at the time of intake. The program goals include:
80% of the consumers able to continue
living in their own homes
100% of the time first contact made within
10 working days of the referral
90% of the consumers will express
satisfaction with services provided by SOC
If
you wish to print out and fill out the referral form click on the text
Referral
and Intake form
If
you do not have Acrobat reader please click on the Adobe Icon 
Please feel free to contact
Vivian Mogensen, Team Leader, 277-0630, or vivianm@bhrci.org if
you have any suggestions, concerns or questions.
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