CAP Services’ new Mental Health Patient Navigator project will address the growing need of the households it serves for mental health services.  Tanion Bowker will coordinate the project.
 

In her role as project coordinator, Bowker will provide clients with referral information, education, emotional support and advocacy services.  She will meet with clients, be available to accompany them for medical appointments, and maintain regular contact by telephone, office visits or home visits.

“Often our clients don’t know what services are available to them or how to access them.  My role is to help them receive the services, and serve as their advocate and guide, she said.”
 

CAP Vice President Mary Patoka said the need was identified by several sources.  “Our triennial needs assessment survey of low-income households identified mental health issues, specifically stress from financial concerns, as a high ranking area of need.  Our comprehensive Family Development Partnership Tool, which we use to assess client’s self-sufficiency in 11 areas, has helped identify an increasing number of households facing mental health issues,” she said.
 

“Feelings of being overwhelmed, minor depression from not being able to get ahead, a mental health diagnosis, or having a family member struggling with depression or some other condition are all included in what we define as mental health issues,” Patoka said.
 

CAP has used a patient navigation strategy successfully in two other health projects over the past several years.   Funding for the Mental Health Patient Navigator project is provided by grants from St. Michael’s Hospital and Ministry Health Care.

The project will serve Portage County residents who are enrolled in CAP programs that use the Family Development Partnership Tool.  These include Head Start, Hmong Services, Skills Enhancement, Domestic Violence Intervention Services and Sexual Assault Victim Services. 
 

Patoka estimates that 60 households will receive some or all of the services offered by the Patient Navigator.