Presentation by:

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Presentation by Wayne Munchel, LCSW Executive
Director Transition Age Youth Academy a program
of the National Mental Health Association of
Greater Los Angeles
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From Recovery To Discovery
me
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BE PASSIONATE
about working with young adults
or stay home
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Seek not just to educate and inform, but to
inspire
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If the average American young adult does not
fully emancipate from their families until age
28, it is not reasonable to expect young adults
with EBD, many with little or no family support,
to emancipate successfully at age 18.
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TAY ACADEMY DATA

• 54 current students

40 African-American 26 Hispanic 24 Caucasian

• 120 students after expansion

As of July 2005
15 homeless 22 in school 17 working 37 living
independently in own apartment
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Diagnostic Impressions
66 severe mental illness such as bipolar or
schizophrenia 33 PTSD, personality disorders or
mood disorders 50 substance use issues
Referral Sources
60 DCFS, foster care 40 families, community
agencies, jail
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Director Assistant Director
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Me
Career Developer
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TAY House Manager Support
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Financial Planner
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TAY MENTORS
Registered Nurse
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Mentors
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Psychiatrist
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TAY MATRIX
Rollin In
IntensiveStructuredTeaching
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CAREER DEVELOPMENT

• Establish Life Habitsshow up, timeliness
• In house education / training classesGED
• Engaged, routine attendance
• Exposures / Internshipsin house jobs, school
  tours
• Cost of living and wages

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HOUSING ARRAY

• Intro to Adult Living 101You pay for where you
  lay
• 24/7 supervised, supported, house parent
• Subsidies, scholarships
• Specialized, residential teaching facilities

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COMMUNITY LIVING SKILLS

• Learn how to get needs met be nice
• S.O.D.A.S., rationales, problem-solving
• Mandatory fun, routine-sustainable activities
• Economic literacy, anger management

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WELLNESS

• Develop life dreams/visionsinspire, core gift
• Identify barriers to life goalssymptoms,
  drug/alcohol
• behavioral, physical
• Develop coping skillstake care of yourself
• Educate on illness, meds, therapy, pregnancy
• Goal setting groupssex, drugs, rock roll,
  trauma

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TAY MATRIX
Tunin Up
SupportiveIndividualizedMentoring
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CAREER DEVELOPMENT

• Explore educational/work training opportunities
  in the
• community
• Major partnerships with community college,
  adult schools
• Keeping appointments, maintaining schedule
• Community-based apprenticeships, supported
  education

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HOUSING ARRAY

• Practice independent living skills
• Cooking, cleaning, budgeting, shopping
• Getting along with others, managing guests
• Master leased, permanent, supportive apartments

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COMMUNITY LIVING SKILLS

• Practice community functioning skills
• Individualized, fun activities in the community
• Relationship skills, positive sex / intimacy
• Study groups, bus training, etc

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WELLNESS

• Practice coping methods, problem solving
• Harm Reduction with drugs alcohol,
  experimentation
• Informed / empowered on illness, meds,
  treatments
• Community therapists, community groups, etc

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TAY MATRIX
Rockin Out
Follow AlongPeer MediatedSelf Directed
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CAREER DEVELOPMENT

• Get and keep job with a career connection
• Ongoing educationcertification, graduation
• Self-directed job searches, advancement, raises
• Competitive employment, peer mentorships

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HOUSING ARRAY

• Obtain / maintain housing of choice home
• Manages own guests / roommates
• Pays own rent, own payee, adequate income
• Scattered site apartments

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COMMUNITY LIVING SKILLS

• Successful functioning in meeting needs
• Places of belonging, community integration
• How to get info / help, problem-solve
• Give backvolunteer, teach new students

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WELLNESS

• Take responsibility for managing ones own life
  / recovery
• Accesses support when needed
• Follow-along by mentors with occasional
  reminders
• T.R.A.P. plans towards interdependence

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my mom
Know that today you will be ignored, dismissed
and cursed at for things that you will be thanked
for profusely years later. Unless youre wrong
in which case you will just be ignored,
dismissed and cursed at.
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If young adults with EBD are to transcend the
confining boundaries of disability and the mental
health system
providers must transcend the boundaries of
disability and the mental health system.
Partnerships must be established with
institutions of education, job training and youth
development.
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(No Transcript)
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Remember all the dangerous, ill-advised,
destructive things you and your friends may have
done as a transition age youth and consider that
many of the disturbing behaviors that you are
witnessing are not due to mental illness or
deep-seated pathology.
Guyton Director MHA TAY Academy
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TAY Member of the Year
2004 Golden Ducky Awards