Baseline Evaluation

Provided below is information about baseline data (and preliminary six-month analysis) on the 85 patients currently enrolled in the CHD Health & Wellness integrated services program. With respect to demographics, the group is comprised of approximately 50% under age 45 and 50% over age 45. Sixty percent of the group is female and 38% of the group is male, with 2% reportedly trangendered. Half of the group is Caucasian and one-quarter each is Puerto Rican and African American.

As for functioning, 45% either agree or strongly agree that they are in "excellent health, very good or just good." CHD Health & Wellness patients report low rates of problem use with alcohol and a range of illicit drugs. Less than half of those enrolled report smoking tobacco less than weekly.

No patients report being homeless in the past 30 days. Ninety-five percent had not been admitted to a psychiatric hospital. In the past 30 days, 98% had not been admitted to a detoxification unit, none had been to jail, and 93% had not been admitted to an emergency room.

Two-thirds patients are currently permanently housed. Those who are not housed, include those living in someone else's house, in transitional living, or acute care.

With respect to social connectedness, over 70% of patients report being satisfied with their friendships; 78% have people with whom they do enjoyable things.

Health measures collected at baseline indicate that enrolled patients are at risk. The high rates of risk are for the following indicators: CO measure (46%), weight (4% underweight and 87% obese at risk). One-hundred percent of the enrollees are at risk regarding waist circumference. In addition, according to blood draw results, 78% of the population being served tested at risk for the indicator A1C and 43% tested at risk regarding Triglycerides.

In the following section, outcomes at six-months for the 14 patients, who have matched intake and six-month data, are examined. There was a 14% increase in the number of patients who reported their overall health to be good or better than good at the six-month data point. Those who reported not being bothered by symptoms fell by 29%.

There were improvements in mental health symptoms having to do with feelings of hopelessness (30%), depression (50%), feeling like everything is an effort (25%), and worthlessness (25%). The number of patients feeling little or no nervousness, or restlessness dropped by 40% and 25%, respectively, at the six-month data point in the CHD Health & Wellness program.

There were improvements in the number of patients reporting less than weekly use of cannabis (7%) and prescription opioids (7%) and no change was noted in the number of patients using alcohol less than weekly.

Patients continue to report not being homeless at the six-month data point. There were no admissions to psychiatric hospitals, detoxification units, or incarceration same as program entry. The number of patients receiving school or job training increased by (300%) at the six-month data point yet there was a drop of 40% in those employed at six months.

Source: CAR, Evaluation Report, October 21, 2013