Mental Health

PSL Services currently offers two residential programs for individuals with long histories of major mental illness and associated hospitalizations. The overarching goals of our MH programs are to provide the type and amount of support necessary to assist these individuals to:

• Achieve and maintain success living in the community;
• Improve and stabilize overall emotional, mental and physical health and remain free from recurring hospitalizations;
• Feel good about themselves and their place in the world;
• Provide safe, affordable, supportive housing with caring staff to assure that basic needs are met.

Chesley Street

The first of PSL Services’ mental health developments is CHESLEY STREET, a residence where three older women have made their home since 1998.  Over the nine years it has been open, these women and their support staff have established a comfortable, companionable, and supportive environment where friendship and mutual support is the norm.  

Factors conducive to this cohesion include:

• Virtually no turnover in residency from the beginning;
• Total staff turnover since 1998 opening of < 20%;
• Tenants knew one another from the State hospital and shared similar experiences during their frequent and lengthy hospitalizations. (Avg. period of total hospitalizations = 28 years).  
• Same-aged peers: share many likes and dislikes in foods, music, activities, television programs, etc;
• Share many of the same medical issues, demonstrating compassion and support toward one another;
• Caring staff who:
  • monitor changes in mental health status, medical issues, and amount of nourishment taken;
  • encourage adherence to prescribed diet and exercise plans in a respectful and light-hearted manner;
  • Are committed to the concept of ‘aging in place,’ meaning the belief  that these ladies should not have to move from their home because of medical issues related primarily to aging.

The women host a meeting once a week with the Program Director to discuss issues, concerns, desires and whatever else may be on their minds. One week they might share their desire for the dining room to be painted yellow; the following week they might point out that the exterior landscape is looking a bit seedy and could use some sprucing up.  The meeting is generally a lot of fun and has become quite a social event for all concerned.  Participation is voluntary; yet, it seems a week does not pass without a full-house in attendance.   

Wall Street

Our WALL STREET development is a supportive housing complex of eight units serving 10 men and women living in their own apartments.  While the mix of tenants at Wall Street is somewhat
less cohesive than Chesley House, they are a younger group who generally have fewer medical issues, experiencing greater social difficulties instead.  

What makes it work:

• Mutual respect between tenants and staff;
• Well-trained, long term staff;
• High staff to tenant ratio:
  • Allows for emotional support, problem solving and crisis management when needed most;
  • Allows Well-developed Plans with consistent follow-through;
  • Maximum use of teachable moments;
  • Group activities to enhance socialization and positive peer regard; for example:
• an annual camping trip to the Nether-regions of Maine where tenant-campers work together for the common good and learn something about themselves in the process;
• an annual Friends & Family Picnic that tenants plan and prepare with staff when they can be found cooking, grilling burgers, greeting, serving and leading lawn games
• A weekly Tenants’ Council meeting with Program Coordinator to discuss policy and procedures, pass information and plan events;
• A weekly pot luck meal shared between tenants and support staff;
• A common room to enjoy companionship with other tenants that boasts:
  • a large table and chairs to accommodate meetings, communal meals, board  games, celebrations and such;
  • a lounge area with comfortable furniture for reading the daily newspapers, chatting or watching TV;
  • bookcase filled with books, games, puzzles, cards, models and other activities;
  • cable television;
  • stereo system; and,
  • a computer station
• A small staff office serves as a private space for taking medications and discussing financial matters with staff;
• A low-cost, coin-operated laundry room is available just beyond the common area.
  

Treatment plans are developed for each tenant upon move-in and annually thereafter.  Known as Individualized Service Plans (ISPs) within the mental health system, these prescriptive plans are essentially broken down into four basic parts.

1. They outline specific services to be provided and by which entity;
2. They summarize long and short term Goals identified by the tenant with his or her treatment team;
3. They identify strengths/assets and barriers that may potentially impact outcomes; an
4. They list the Action Steps necessary to achieve them.  

   All plans are reviewed quarterly to assess progress or continued appropriateness.