Population: 236,612
Project focus: Access to health services
Goals:
- Improve care coordination for individuals (with behavioral health issues) by building a data system
- Integrate and share data via a cloud-based, high-security data platform
- Establish data sharing agreements to create a legally compliant platform
- Create a person-centered record and a mechanism to track interactions across healthcare providers and associated networks
- Address inequities (poverty, mental health issues, crime rate etc.)
- Reduce recidivism rate
- Create a profile centric program and utilize a certified peer specialist to manage clients through established programs and service offerings.
Approaches and Partners
Forsyth County Government, with Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, Forsyth County Information Systems and Technology, and Avita Community Partners, formed a robust collaborative approach to respond to increased rates of calls to police and arrests linked to untreated mental health needs.
Currently, jails serve as the primary provider of mental health services; this initiative sought to change that. The team improved coordination between organizations, built community awareness to reduce stigma and changed established organizational practices by developing a database to improve care coordination and better identify the urgent needs of people with mental illness and/or substance use disorders who are involved in the criminal justice system.
Successes (as of September 2022)
The project team has finalized the data architecture and technical design of their online platform. As the platform undergoes continued testing, they will continue to enhance their application by responding to user needs/feedback. The project team has emphasized how imperative it is for data and technology to be used as a tool to provide necessary services to those most in need of assistance. As they continue to meet with stakeholders, they are reminded of the importance of their work in their community.
Snapshot 1 (July - December 2020) | Snapshot 2 (January - June 2021) | Snapshot 3 (July - December 2021)
Resources:
Check out NACo's interviews with each of the the 10 county-based teams, including Forsyth County.