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The Mental Health Intensive Case Management (MHICM) Program serves veterans with serious and persistent mental illnesses to help them meet their medical, psychiatric and social needs within the community setting. MHICM is a multidisciplinary team with a Psychiatrist, Case Managers from multiple disciplines–Psychology, Social Work and Nursing and a Program Assistant. The West Palm Beach VA’s MHICM Program enrolled its first veteran in April 2004. Over the past four years, 98 veterans have been enrolled into the program with 74 actively followed at this time. For two years, patients served by MHICM have participated in and received recognition during the Medical Center’s Mental Illness Recovery Celebration, sharing accomplishments made since entering MHICM and goals for the future.

MHICM team members (l-r): Dr. Walter Trenschel; Ann Mahan, LCSW, CAP, CMHP; Eric Greenberg, R.N.; Sheila Eppard, M.S.N., R.N.; Lindsey Pinard, Program Assistant; and Anne Woodruff, R.N.

Veterans enrolled in the MHICM program are assigned a Case Manager who is responsible for organizing their care and assisting each veteran in meeting their basic care needs, accessing VA and community resources and quality of life improvements. Case management is an ongoing process of making sure veterans are provided with the necessary services and resources that will help each person live successfully in the community. Resources include the VA and other agencies or programs that provide the services needed.

MHICM Case Managers work closely with each veteran to ensure they are receiving the treatment and services needed to prevent further hospital stays. A special focus is placed on help with medications, finances, and the living environment. Veterans will be able to rely on any member of the team especially in a crisis situation. The majority of MHICM services are coordinated in the community while others are conducted at the MHICM office located at the WPB VA Medical Center. The highly professional MHICM team strives to provide emotional support and patient and family education regarding:

  1. General health care
  2. Signs and symptoms of illnesses
  3. Medication management
  4. Stress management
  5. Problem solving skills
  6. Dealing with anger, sadness and fear
  7. Money Management
  8. Use of leisure time
  9. Referrals to VA and community resources
  10. Coordination of and occasional transportation to outpatient appointments
  11. Family interpersonal relationships
  12. Assessment and treatment planning to meet recovery goals

The MHICM team strives to help each veteran meet their goals for becoming independent and successful in a community setting.

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