Introducing Riverside’s Newest Initiative.

I’m pleased to announce Riverside’s newest initiative – our Transitional Support Program (TSP).  Through this time-limited, transitional case management program, our care coordinators will reach out to and enroll adolescents, adults, and elders with significant mental health needs who have not been able to make or sustain effective connections to behavioral health and primary care services.

The care coordinators will assist enrollees to gain insurance coverage, apply for benefits such as housing assistance, and to effectively use psychiatric, addiction, primary care and other community based services and supports. Over the 9-month maximum enrollment time, with support from their care coordinators, we expect that enrollees will become more self-reliant, reduce reliance on hospital emergency rooms, and increasingly avoid inpatient hospitalizations or repeat encounters with the criminal justice system.

Referrals will come principally from hospital emergency rooms, police, psychiatric hospitals and our emergency services team. We are fortunate that our funding grant from the MA Attorney General’s office also enables us to work with the Boston University School of Psychosocial Rehabilitation to evaluate the Transitional Support Program’s effectiveness. If it is proven to be successful, we will seek additional funding so that we can replicate the program throughout the state. Congratulations to all the Riverside staff who have worked tirelessly to get this program off the ground!

~Scott M. Bock, President/CEO