Individuals with serious mental illness often lack the necessary support services that could assist them in making a successful transition from a child/adolescent mental health system to an adult mental health system.  To bridge the gap, Goodwill Industries of the Conemaugh Valley (GICV) operates the state-licensed Transitions Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program to assist young adults ages 18–25 with serious mental illness to "transition into adulthood."

Transitions gets its name from the components of the Transition to Independence Process (TIP), an evidenced-based program model that stresses the importance of providing access to appropriate services—engaging young adults in their own future planning and utilizing services that focus on individual strengths. 

Components include:

1.  Engaging young adults through relationship development
2.  Providing person-centered planning
3.  Focusing on the future
4.  Ensuring support by involving the individual's parents, family members, and
     other key players
5.  Focusing on acknowledging and developing personal choice and 
     responsibility
6.  Enhancing an individual's competencies in the living, working, learning, and
     social environments
7.  Maintaining an outcome focus

What is Psychiatric Rehabilitation?

The Board of Directors of the United States Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (USPRA), the major professional association of the field of psychiatric rehabilitation, has defined "psychiatric rehabilitation" as follows*:

        Psychiatric rehabilitation promotes recovery, full community integration, and improved quality of life for persons who
        have  been diagnosed with any mental condition that seriously impairs their ability to lead meaningful lives.

• Collaborative

• Person-directed

• Individualized

       These services are an essential element in the health care and human services spectrum, and should be evidence-based.

       They focus on helping individuals to develop skills and access resources needed to increase their capacity to be
       successful and satisfied in the living, working, learning, and social environments of their choice.

*Definition approved and adopted on September 29, 2007.

Anthony W. A. Farkas, M.D. (2009): P.9. Primer on the psychiatric rehabilitation process.  Boston: Boston University Center for
Psychiatric Rehabilitation.

Boston University's Approach Following the Boston University's Approach to Psychiatric Rehabilitation, GICV's Certified Psychiatric Rehabilitation Specialists assist young adults in choosing, obtaining, and keeping valued roles in the communities through: Engagement Psychoeducation Wellness Recovery Action Plan® (WRAP®) Goal Development and Attainment Support Development

GICV's staff help the young adults to achieve their goals in four main environments—living, working, learning, and social—highlighted in the USPRA's definition of psychiatric rehabilitation.

For more information on GICV's Transitions Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program, contact Tricia Fisher at (814) 536-3536, ext. 229 or thildebrand@goodwilljohnstown.org.

Eligibility is based on psychiatric medical necessity criteria.
Applicants must have a serious mental illness documented by a psychiatrist.
Funded by Value Behavioral Health and the Cambria County Behavioral Health/Intellectual Disabilities Program
Coverage area by county:  Cambria