Critical Time Intervention

New paper explores broader implications of CTI for timing of social service interventions

Dan Herman — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:57:46 +0000

Relatively little attention has been paid to the dimension of time in the design of social work interventions. CTI is an example of an intervention that was explicitly developed to address a timing-specific need (enhancing continuity of care during transitions between institutional and community living). After describing the model and summarizing research that supports its effectiveness, this new article by Dan Herman and Jim Mandiberg of Columbia University considers examples of other time-sensitive interventions in social work and related fields and speculates on some potential advantages to such strategies. The authors conclude that further attention to various dimensions of timing in the design and evaluation of human service interventions is warranted

NYC will fund CTI model for homeless persons living with AIDS

Dan Herman — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 20:13:07 +0000

The New York City Department of Heath and Mental Hygiene, through its partner organization Public Health Solutions, has issued an RFP that will support transitional care coordination programs that employ the CTI model to link homeless persons with AIDS to medical care, housing and other needed supports. The program will be supported with federal funds through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. Eligible organizations are not-for-profit agencies currently providing services in New York City.

NAEH conference to hold CTI sessions on working with singles & families

Dan Herman — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:05:29 +0000

The annual conference of the National Alliance to End Homelessness to be held in July in Washington, DC will feature two workshops on CTI, both scheduled for the afternoon of July 13. The first, co-led by Dan Herman of Columbia University & NYS Psychiatric Institute and Laura Morris of Resources for Human Development, Inc. will focus on working with single adults. The second workshop, focused on homeless families, will be led by Judith Samuels of New York University & Nathan Kline Institute. We hope to see you there!

New book on reentry planning includes CTI

Dan Herman — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:32:47 +0000

Reentry Planning for Offenders with Mental Disorders (Henry A. Dlugacz, ed.), recently published by the Civic Research Institute, includes a chapter by Jeffrey Draine and Dan Herman on the application of CTI for reentry from correctional settings. The book addresses both policy and practice issues related to maximizing the chances of successful outcomes among persons with mental illnesses following release from jail and prison.

Dutch team returns

Dan Herman — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:17:06 +0000

Mental health workers and local officials from the Netherlands in met in March with researchers from Columbia University and several provider organizations involved with CTI implementation in NYC. Part of an ongoing collaboration between researchers and providers in the US and the Netherlands, this was the third visit to the city by Dutch providers interested in learning about CTI and other innovative services for homeless persons. A national CTI conference in the Netherlands is tentatively planned for November 2010. A link to the Netherlands CTI website is here. (photo by Eve Vagg)

New SAMHSA RFA includes CTI

Dan Herman — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:15:45 +0000

The Center for Mental Health Services of SAMHSA has released its new RFA for fiscal year 2010 Mental Health Transformation Grants. The program aims “to foster adoption and implementation of permanent transformative changes in how public mental health services are organized, managed and delivered so that they are consumer-driven, recovery-oriented and supported through evidence-based and best practices.” For the first time, this RFA specifically identifies CTI as a key practice that applicants may request support for as part of programs designed to address one of SAMHSA’s current strategic initiatives–increasing the availability of services linked to safe and affordable permanent housing for individuals who are homeless or at risk of homelessness due to mental illness, substance use, HIV/AIDs or long term institutionalization in a nursing home, jail, or other facility.

NIH conference features web-based training pilot

Dan Herman — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:27:27 +0000

Jeffrey Olivet and Sam Johnston (both from the Center for Social Innovation) and Dan Herman (Columbia University & New York State Psychiatric Institute) led a panel presentation at the 3rd Annual NIH Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation held in Bethesda on March 15 and 16, 2010. The team described finding from their recently completed pilot study of web-based CTI training for social workers and other staff working in homelessness service settings. This study, a collaborative project carried out with support from NIMH, tested a virtual community of practice approach to supporting providers as they developed needed skills and specific plans to implement CTI in their organizations.

North Carolina "rapid re-housing" initiative adopts CTI

Dan Herman — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:12:21 +0000

Project Hope, located in Charlotte, North Carolina has begun to implement CTI as part of a new initiative supported by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Homelessness Prevention & Rapid Re-Housing Program, a short-term rental assistance program to help prevent and reduce homelessness. The new program, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, is compatible with CTI in its focus on helping individuals and families stabilize and maintain their housing with time-limited assistance, while developing long-term supportive connections in the community. Project Hope staff received training from the Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS). CUCS, a large direct service and training agency focused on applying innovative approaches to meeting the needs of homeless persons, is one of two organizations that provides training in the CTI model.

Update from New Mexico

Dan Herman — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:11:42 +0000

As we reported earlier in the year, New Mexico became the first state to provide dedicated funding for CTI through its public mental health system. We learned recently that two organizations, St. Elizabeth Shelter and The Life Link, both in Santa Fe, were awarded state contracts and have launched CTI programs. Both programs aim to help homeless persons transition from the streets into housing. The St. Elizabeth’s program, described in their recent newsletter, uses CTI with as part of a rapid-rehousing initiative for 27 formerly homeless persons with behavioral health disorders. According to Shane Lampman, program manager, the model “helps to quickly connect clients to available community resources… so that they can focus their energy on recovery and restoring their independence.”

American Psychological Association takes note

Dan Herman — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:18:46 +0000

CTI received significant attention in a cover story on homelessness and mental illness in the current issue of the APA Monitor, published monthly by the American Psychological Association. The article describes CTI, along with Housing First and other innovative approaches that can help reduce the problem of homelessness among persons with severe mental illness. The APA has also organized a presidential task force on homelessness whose report is expected to be released in January.