COS_FAQ

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Community Outreach Services Frequently Asked Questions

Click here to read the Community Outreach Services Handbook
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What is the difference between Community Client and Mental Health Promotion?

Mental Health Promotion includes activities and projects directed toward:

1. Strengthening individuals’ and communities’ skills and abilities to cope with stressful life situations, before the onset of such events (e.g., ”primary prevention”);

2. Enhancing and/or expanding agencies’ and organizations’ mental health knowledge and skills related to the community-at-large or special population groups;

3. Providing education and/or consultation to individuals’ and communities’ regarding mental health services programs, in order to prevent the onset of mental health problems.

Community Client Services includes activities directed toward:

1. Performing outreach to identify potential persons with mentalillness;

2. Strengthening individuals’ and/or communities’ skills and abilities during a stressful life situation through short-term intervention (e.g., “secondary, tertiary prevention”);

3. Enhancing or expanding knowledge and skills of human service agency staff to handle the mental health problems of their particular clients;

4. Linking persons with mental illness with appropriate resources in the community, e. g., health, mental health, social services, etc.

For more detail, please refer to pages 5-9 of the Community Outreach Services Handbook.

Regarding Service Recipient: Do I put in the name of the service recipient?

If working with a client, cross out “agency” and write in “client”.

a. Name: If working with a client, staff have a number of options under “Name”. If staff know the client’s name, the name should be put in this space. If the staff does not know the client’s name, John/Jane Doe can be used or male/female client. The client can be more fully described in the Progress Note section.

Please refer to page 10 of the Community Outreach Services Handbook.

Regarding Service Location: If I am working in the Jail, do I write out the whole address?

Yes. Please identify the complete address where the services are being provided.

Since I am working in the Jail Linkage Program and could be providing services in multiple service areas, what Provider Number do I indicate on the form.

Use the Navigator Provider Number which best represents: 1) where the client resides or 2) the where the client will reside.

Example. The client resides in SA 2 and is going to go into a SA 2 FSP. Use the Navigator Provider Number for SA 2.

Example: The client is homeless, but you are planning on referring the individual to a program in SA 5. Use the SA 5 Navigator Provider Number.

What do I put in a progress note?

Complete the section titled “Progress Notes” include presenting problems, goals, content process and outcome of the consultation for all Community Outreach Services contacts, whether Promotion or Community Client..

Under the section titled “Future Plans/Recommendations, include major topics or problem areas to be addressed and any special problems or successful techniques which might be helpful in future consultations.

Please refer to page 28 of the Community Outreach Services Handbook.

Does the client's name have to be on the note, if of course we know the name?

We do recommend that you use the client’s name. This helps you remember what service was provided to that client and a way to verify that there isn’t any double billing. If you do not know the clients name, then try to be as descriptive as possible. Some programs place a copy of the COS progress note in the client’s chart, so in those cases it is important to have the client’s name in the progress note, even though it is already listed on the front (just to clarify, when working with a client you can cross out “Agency Name” and write in “Client Name”).

Can I include travel or documentation in my COS time?

Duration: This refers to how long the COS lasted. The time is to be recorded in 15-minute increments.

a. Time spent does not include time for travel, internal planning meetings or preparations.

b. Time spent does include documentation (up to one 15-minute increment), and direct contact (face-to-face or telephone).

c. For Mental Health Promotion only, does include time spent in preparation of literature, mass media advertisement and mass media preparations.

d. Does not include time spent by support staff, such as clerical.

e. Does not include time staff spend receiving training.

Please refer to page 11 of the Community Outreach Services Handbook.

Can I use COS to consult with staff on my team or in my program?

No. COS is for consultation with others in the community.

Is the expectation that staff write in just the numerical code, or write the numerical code and the category, e.g. writing “24” vs “24 – Service Utilization Mental Health” in the Program Area box?”

The requirement is that staff write in the numerical code, as well as the explanation of the code.

Please refer to pages 10-11 of the Community Outreach Services Handbook.