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Geriatric/Adult Mental Health Specialty Teams (GAST). Background. Identified Needs : Greater local capacity to address the needs of older adults with mental health challenges residing in Long Term Care (LTC) facilities or private homes with a
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Background Identified Needs: • Greater local capacity to address the needs of older adults with mental health challenges residing in Long Term Care (LTC) facilities or private homes with a caregiver was recognized, as plans were developed to increase community capacity to serve older adults. • To reduce reliance on State Psychiatric Hospital services. • Teams would be available to provide expertise, training and support throughout the state.
Purpose The primary purpose of the GAST program is to provide training, education, consultation and technical assistance to recipients. • Do not provide direct services to people residing at the different facilities or private home, or make office visits to a facility. • Services are only provided to staff of younger adults with serious mental health challenges that reside in a LTC facility. Services are not provided to caregivers of younger adults living in group homes or private homes.
Recipients of GAST Services • Nursing home, adult care home or family care home staff serving adults with mental health challenges. • Caregivers who are providing care to adults in a residential home who are 60 years of age or older with mental health challenges and at risk for psychiatric hospitalization. GAST also provides services to caregivers of adults under age 60 that have geriatric-like needs. • They may provide training or education to other agencies or providers serving older adults with mental health challenges, such as Senior Centers, if the needs of the priority recipients listed above are met.
Team Goals The expected goals of the GAST program, through training, education consultation and technical assistance is to: • enhance the understanding of mental health challenges among recipients; • assist the recipients to successfully care for adults with mental health challenges living in LTC settings or homes; • and to enhance the skill and technique of recipients to prevent an escalation of behaviors that could place the adult in a psychiatric hospital.
Geriatric/Adult Mental Health Specialty Team (GAST) Org Chart
Roles and Responsibilities GAST activities include, but are not limited to, the following: • provide training and education on a variety of topics to meet the team goals; • provide resident-specific training with staff regarding behaviors that may result in need for more intensive services including and up to hospitalization; • and train recipients on psychiatric medication issues and how to collaborate and advocate with psychiatrist, physician and pharmacist.
GAST activities provided to assist with successful reintegration into LTC facilities or into a residence when older adults are discharged from State Psychiatric Hospitals include, but are not limited to, the following: • provide information to AP/LME and state hospital regarding strengths and capabilities of the appropriate long term care facility for individual discharge planning; • and assist in discharge planning with hospital staff, assigned mental health service provider and LME acting as a support to the planning process by providing resource information on rehabilitative services and/or residential setting that are needed by the individual.
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