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Building Futures Capital Campaign |
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A project to meet both current and a
ten-year projected growth in the demand for psychiatric rehabilitation services
in the Greater Chattanooga community.
The AIM Center is seeking $4
million to address critical needs in psychiatric rehabilitation services for the
Greater Chattanooga area. A 243% growth in demand for services over the past 10
years necessitates relocation to a facility that more than doubles the current
space. The increased space will enable services for persons already on a waiting
list, as well as anticipated growth in need, and serve as the foundation for
implementation of new programmatic directives identified in The President’s New
Freedom Commission Report. The report mandates expansion of mental health
rehabilitation and recovery services, and the implementation of new best
practices. Specifically, the funds will enable quality improvements in the
following services: 1) conversion of the education and employment programs to
meet new evidenced based practices; 2) add alcohol and drug abuse recovery
services for persons with co-occurring disorders of mental illness and substance
abuse; and 3) expand the programs of fine arts, housing, and consumer-driven
services.
To achieve these goals, the AIM Center will continue its
emphasis on community capacity building in all service areas versus reliance on
center-based services. To promote such activities the Center collaborates with
approximately 76 local service, education, and business resources.
Verification of AIM’s capacity to meet this challenge can best be shown
by awards received in 2004: 1) recipient of the Community Impact Award by the
United Way of Greater Chattanooga; and 2) a 94% overall audit score by Magellan
Healthcare, one of the largest managed behavioral healthcare companies in the
country; and 3) the top, three-year certification by the International Center of
Clubhouse Development.
NEED
National statistics
indicate that 19% of the population has psychiatric disorders at any given time
with 5% of those suffering from severe mental illness. It is estimated
accordingly that 88,000 people in the Greater Chattanooga area suffer from
psychological disorders with 23,000 of those having severe and persistent mental
illness.
Mental illness takes its toll on individuals and the community.
For the individuals themselves it is many times an unbearable burden and in turn
affects, if not dominates the lives of their families. According to the National
Institute on Mental Health, “The burden of mental illness on health and
productivity . . . has long been underestimated.” It is costing our country
billions of dollars each year in health care and in loss of business
productivity.
In 1989, the AIM Center took a leadership role in
psychiatric rehabilitation services and has consistently been on the forefront
of innovative, progressive programs. Now it must prepare to meet a new trend in
mental health services with a focus on rehabilitation and recovery. The AIM
Center is the only psychiatric rehabilitation program in Hamilton County and
this community should not miss the opportunity to provide an adequate facility
that will attract the funding for new initiatives that are currently being
designed to meet this new direction. Ultimately, the driving force in seeking
funds is to impact the lives of individuals who have the potential to be active
contributing members of our community.
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