Community Assessment, Prevention and Education Team

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2011

In 2009, the County of Sonoma Department of health Services – mental health/Alcohol and other Drug Services Division (Health Services) convened community stakeholders who readily prioritized services to transition age youth (TAY) experiencing first onset of serious psychiatric illness. Health Services partnered with Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC), the national Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), law enforcement, and the two largest school districts in Sonoma County to provide culturally appropriate mental health screening and assessment, education, and peer based services to youth ages 16 to 25 that are at-risk for or are experiencing their first onset of mental illness. The Community Assessment, Prevention and Education Team (CAPE) is specifically designed to intervene with TAY ages 16 to 25 who are at risk of are experiencing their first onset of mental illness and its multiple issues and risk factors. CAPE provides mobile response, training, screening, and assessment of at-risk youth, peer-based services, and educational activities. The CAPE Team is staffed by licensed clinicians and services are school based.