Direct Services
Peer Support Services
You don’t have to do it alone. The Peer Support program can help. We offer one-to-one support for recovery from mental illness through Certified Peer Specialists—people who are successfully progressing in their own recovery and have received intensive training in peer support. Certified Peer Specialists can help you further your recovery at your own pace, and in the areas you choose. You might feel sometimes like there is no one who understands what you’re going through. But you’re not alone. We’ve been there, we know what it’s like, and we want to help. We know things can get better. We’re here. We’ll share your journey of recovery, offering hope and resources gained through personal experience and professional training. Your Certified Peer Specialist can help you broaden connections, explore options, and meet your goals. It’s Easy to Get Started. If you are a resident of Franklin or Fulton Counties and want to progress in your recovery from mental illness, you may qualify if your services are provided through Franklin/Fulton MH/IDD/EI or Medical Assistance. Call us at (717) 264-4301 for further information. It only takes a few minutes to complete the application process.
- PSS Youth and Young Adult Referral Form
- Professional Recommendation for Services Form
- Adult PSS Referral Form
- View our Brochure
- View our Client Grievance Brochure
- Apply for Services on NewOrg – Adult
- Apply for Services on NewOrg – Youth
The Housing Program
The Housing Program can work with anyone who has Medical Assistance and is experiencing a housing need. The goal of the program is to help peers maintain their housing or find new housing. The Housing Program also works with the Franklin County Housing Authority to provide a Bridge Voucher to those who are eligible for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers.
- Housing Referral Form
- View our Brochure
HelpLine
Need to talk? Feeling anxious? Need reassurance? Experiencing a crisis? Call the HelpLine at 717-264-2916. Staffed by trained Certified Peer Specialists and Call Specialists who have been there. Open 365 days per year from 5:00pm-10:00pm. Open all holidays and even during inclement weather!
Senior Reach
Senior Reach helps to connect seniors to others as a powerful means of reducing stress and preventing loneliness and depression. Each week participants will receive at least one phone call by a trained Call Specialist. Senior Reach services are available to Seniors aged 60 or older and prior consent is required. Participants do not need to have a mental health diagnosis to qualify for services. For more information contact us at 717-264-4301.
Advocacy Services
Community Support Program
What is CSP of Franklin/Fulton Counties? It is a coalition of individuals, family members, mental health professionals, and other community members who are working together to help individuals with serious mental illnesses, co-occurring disorders such as substance use, and intellectual/developmental disabilities live successfully in the community. It is part of a statewide coalition that began in 1984. The local CSP began in May 2000 and is part of the Central Region, which includes several nearby counties. Through the local CSP initiative, small seed grants to CSP, agencies, and advocacy groups have generated innovative trainings, wellness conferences, special events such as the annual art show, anti-stigma campaigns, CSP celebrations and the production of a wide variety of literature. Through CSP, individuals have been empowered and have risen to leadership roles.
Community Advocacy
MHAFF provides advocacy services for community members who need assistance with getting appropriate or desired services.
Satisfaction Survey Services
Individual Family Satisfaction Team (IFST)
IFST finds out how satisfied people are with the services they receive from mental health providers. We do this by creating surveys that ask questions such as “Does the staff at your provider treat you with respect?” or “Do you feel your mental health provider listens to you?” These surveys are created by IFST in partnership with many stakeholders- recipients of services, service providers, county MH/IDD/EI staff, family members, MHAFF staff and members of our advisory committee. The surveys focus on a single provider or area of community need. The surveys are conducted by phone or face-to-face. The results are tallied and analyzed by IFST and a report of findings is written. These findings are shared in a public meeting open to everyone. Results of IFST surveys are utilized by both MH/IDD/EI and providers to help plan improvements in how services are delivered. MHAFF conducts surveys of County funded programs for the Franklin/Fulton MH/IDD/EI program.
Managed Care Surveys in Franklin/Fulton Counties
IFST conducts surveys for the Tuscorora Managed Care Alliance in Franklin & Fulton counties. These surveys are conducted on an ongoing basis. Each entity provides IFST with a confidential list of names of service recipients. From those lists we randomly choose names of individuals to survey as to their satisfaction for all services that are paid for through medical assistance. The results are tallied each month. Quarterly and yearly reports are provided that help improve services and system processes. Survey recipients are also able to communicate about issues that need immediate attention and through this process many problems are resolved.
Independent Monitoring for Quality (IM4Q)
MHAFF conducts interviews with recipients of developmental disability services in Franklin and Fulton Counties. The survey results are tallied and analyzed by state analysts who write an annual report on the satisfaction of service recipients with their providers.
Education Services
Information & Referral
Need help finding a provider or information on mental illness? Call us at 717-264-4301. We can help.
Publications
MHAFF has many publications that can be emailed directly to your computer. We also can direct you to multitudes of on-line libraries to help you learn about mental wellness.
I’m The Evidence Campaign
MHAFF is a participant in the I’m The Evidence Mental Health Campaign, a grassroots campaign to raise awareness about how each of us can positively impact the lives of people in mental health recovery by honoring human potential, creating opportunities and offering encouragement. ITE celebrates people who are the living evidence of mental health recovery, as well as, those individuals, organizations and communities that offer support and hope along the journey.
Learn more about ITE and how you can be the Evidence by contacting MHAFF at 717-264-4301.
Special Events
Walk the Walk
Each year MHAFF holds a local walk campaign to increase awareness of mental illness and to recognize all persons that have been touched by mental illness in our community. This event is called “Walk the Walk”. Folks from all walks of life take part and include individuals with lived experience, family members, mental health professionals, public officials and supporters of the mental health cause.
Over 300 participants, representing many agencies, organizations and programs, from Franklin County and all across Central Pennsylvania attend each year’s event. The Walk reaches many people with news coverage provided by the print media.
The walk takes place in the Borough of Chambersburg. There is a program with several speakers, the reading of the mental health month proclamation and a kick-off ceremony. Each walker is given a commemorative T-shirt to wear during the walk and throughout the year thereafter. Walkers are given refreshments along the route and enjoy dinner and entertainment at its completion.
Wellness Conferences
MHAFF holds wellness conferences each year in both Franklin & Fulton Counties. Hundreds of topics have been presented by local, regional and nationally known speakers. Contact MHAFF for more information if you would like to attend or be considered to facilitate a session at our next conference.
Suicide Prevention Coalitions of Franklin and Fulton Counties
Suicide Prevention Coalition of Franklin and Fulton Counties
The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Franklin and Fulton Counties focuses on Data collection and prevention activities.
- Data Collection: Disparate sources of data within the county are analyzed to determine the appropriate level of services needed to address suicide in our community.
- Prevention Activities: MHAFF provides training on two intervention techniques: Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) and Working Minds: Suicide Prevention in the workplace.
Suicide Intervention Training
MHAFF has certified instructors who provide training in two different types of evidence-based intervention models.
QPR stands for Question, Persuade, and Refer – 3 simple steps that anyone can learn to help save a life from suicide. Just as people trained in CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver help save thousands of lives each year, people trained in QPR learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade, and refer someone to help. Each year thousands of Americans, like you, are saying “Yes” to saving the life of a friend, colleague, sibling, or neighbor. QPR can be learned in our Gatekeeper course in as little as one hour.
Vital Cog: Suicide Prevention in the Workplace -This 2-hour training gives participants the tools and skills to appreciate the critical need for suicide prevention while creating a forum for dialogue and critical thinking about workplace mental health challenges. The program builds a business case for suicide prevention while promoting help-seeking and help-giving.
Vital Cog was developed to address a gap in suicide prevention programming for those of working age. The toolkit was built on best practices and the insights of mental health service providers, human resource professionals, and top suicide prevention experts from across the country.
Scheduled Intervention Trainings
Contact us at 717- 264-4301 for a current listing of trainings or to schedule a training.
