The mission of the Jefferson Center is to inspire hope, improve lives, and strengthen our community by providing mental health and related solutions for individuals and families. VNL is working with the Trauma Systems Therapy Team to implement social screening for clients and their families.

Many individuals with mental health challenges also need other forms of support, like help with transportation, childcare, or housing. The Jefferson Center began using PARTNER to screen families in their TST program to map their social support networks, ask about their social needs, and identify and fill the gaps with targeted community referrals.

The screening process gives providers visibility into a patient’s system of care from their own perspective, including both formal and informal supports that often go unacknowledged. Counselors are using the results to engage in conversations with clients about needs and support, connect them with community resources, and intervene in cases of severe need like abuse or domestic violence.

Following a pilot program demonstrating the potential of social screening, the Center is now considering scaling their use of PARTNER across the organization, beyond the TST program.