St. Louis City Senior Fund, in collaboration with Saint Louis MHB, is seeking proposals from organizations interested in leading a pilot to create mobile outreach response for older adults in the City of St. Louis.
Agencies in St. Louis, including the St. Louis Area Agency on Aging, receive weekly referrals from St. Louis City officials and staff, police, and other first responders seeking assistance with older residents with complex behavioral health needs that need immediate attention. In many of these cases, an in-person visit to an older resident within 24 to 48 hours is needed to fully assess what is going on and help determine support solutions.
This was identified as a priority behavioral health issue during the Aging and Behavioral Health Task Force meetings hosted by the Senior Fund, MHB, and Behavioral Health Network of Greater St. Louis in 2021. Specifically, the need for a central agency that has staff capacity to provide mobile outreach response was identified. The intent of this mobile outreach would be to help stabilize older adults after a call related to an acute crisis or in a situation that is building up to a potential crisis by connecting them to behavioral health services and other service needs (e.g., assistance related to housing, transportation, food, and caregiving).
Senior Fund and MHB are seeking proposals from organizations that currently deliver behavioral health services and can pilot the delivery of intensive outreach to older adults living in St. Louis City when referrals for complex cases are made. This would include being available to respond with:
- Home visits to assess behavioral health needs;
- Provide emotional support and motivational interviewing; and
- Ensure ongoing coordinated case management making connections with behavioral health providers and aging service providers to meet social determinants of health needs (for up to three months).
Proposals for a one-year pilot will be accepted from organizations through June 24, 2022. Additional information for applicants is provided in the Request for Proposals.