Yellowbrick, a mental health facility that works exclusively with young adults, is launching a Core Competence Home Healthcare Services this month, which will offer at-home consultation for young adults suffering from mental illness to teach them independent living skills.
Occupational therapists will go to the young adult’s home to teach them skills such as meal planning, grocery shopping, budgeting, organizing, how to apply for jobs and more. Services will be offered to those ages 17 to 30 living within 10 miles of Yellowbrick’s Evanston location, 1560 Sherman Ave.
“Young adults who have returned from being hospitalized for a mental health issue – such as for a suicide attempt, depression, or a psychotic episode – often can’t take care of their basic needs, such as taking a shower, doing their laundry or buying groceries,” said Jesse Viner, CEO and chief medical officer at Yellowbrick. “This program is designed to be a bridge between returning from the hospital and resuming a regular life.”
Dr. Viner says by teaching these young adults basic life-skills, they are able to reduce expensive hospital stays and prevent relapse. “The goal of the Core Competence Home Healthcare program is to reduce the suffering, impairment and cost of major psychiatric episodes and residual mental illness,” he said.
Prospective clients will have an initial assessment by a Yellowbrick occupational therapist and psychiatrist for $500. Ongoing home visits will costs between $125 to $200 per hour.