Running head: CP DESIGN 1

Ashlee Evans

Community Project Design

Baker College of Jackson

CP DESIGN 2

Purpose:

The Inbetweeners is an organization determined to help those who have trouble finding their

place in society. These individuals are high functioning and come off as normal, but due to a

variety of mental illnesses, they are not capable of maintaining stable lives. This leads to high

suicide rates and isolation. High risk factors for suicide include having mental and substance

abuse disorders, and having a family history. People with bipolar disorder are at great risk for

suicide if they are not getting treatment. The National Mental Health Association reports that

30%-70% of suicide victims have suffered from a form of depression (Biopolar disorder help

center) We want to provide them with opportunities to be involved in community projects and

learn how to cope with their illness in workplace environments. The main psychopathological

features of autism are severe deficiencies in social interaction and communication, and restricted

and repetitive behaviors (Schizophrenia and Autism, 2012). We want The Inbetweeners to feel a

sense of community and to receive proper social interaction with people just like them.

Goals:

1. We wish to fund community projects in order to create volunteer opportunities for our clients.

This will promote community and social interaction.

2. We wish to establish business relationships in order to provide paying jobs that accommodate

these individuals. This creates a sense of self-worth and motivation in a safe environment.

3. We wish to establish long lasting relationships with like-minded people. This may include

retreats and other training opportunities that are targeted specifically for our clients.

4. We wish to fund a group home where the population would work together using life skills to

keep the home functioning in an acceptable manner.

CP DESIGN 3

Demographics:

We want to help a specific demographic of people with a population that have a lasting

psychological effect after years of drug abuse and addiction. This population will have not only a

past history of drug addiction but one or more of the following: bipolar disorder, schizophrenia,

depression, and autism. Brain imaging studies of people with addiction show physical changes

in areas of the brain that are critical to judgment, decision making, learning and memory, and

behavior control. Scientists believe that these changes alter the way the brain works and may

help explain the compulsive and destructive behaviors of addiction. Using substances at an early

age can disrupt brain function in areas critical to motivation, memory, learning, judgment, and

behavior control. So, it is not surprising that teens who use alcohol and other drugs often have

family and social problems, poor academic performance, health-related problems (including

mental health), and involvement with the juvenile justice system (Preventing Drug Abuse, n.d.).

Activities:

We want to provide them with opportunities to be involved in community projects and learn how

to cope with their illness in workplace environments. The main psychopathological features of

autism are severe deficiencies in social interaction and communication, and restricted and

repetitive behaviors (Schizophrenia and Autism, 2012). We want The Inbetweeners to feel a

sense of community and to receive proper social interaction with people just like them. This can

be done being involvement in volunteer work like serving dinner at the interfaith shelter, as well

as the Humane Society, and other Jackson Based Organizations. Our hope is that being involved

with volunteer services will get these individuals the social experiences and responsibility
CP DESIGN 4

needed to maintain a job position in the future. Residents of group homes usually have some type

of chronic mental disorder that impairs their ability to live independently. These individuals

require continual assistance to complete daily living and self-care tasks. Some also require

supervision due to behavior that may be dangerous to self or others, such as aggression or a

tendency to run away. Although most group homes provide long-term care, some residents

eventually acquire the necessary skills to move to more independent living situations. Our

mission is to assimilate these clients back into the community to achieve the empowerment and

life skills needed to adapt. Without the group home each individual would be assigned specific

tasks to keep the home functioning. These task could include, but are not limited to yard work,

cleaning, laundry, and preparing meals.

Money, Equipment, Materials:

Financial Requirements and Logistics

Annual Expenses
Required annual income before taxes $20,761.00
Housing (4 clients, Mortgage: $100,000) $1,419.00
Housing Insurance (4 clients) $199.25
Staff Psychologist (12 Clients, $75,000) $6,250.00
Management Costs (24 Clients, $90,000) $3,750.00
Total annual cost per client: $32,379.25
Average annual social security benefit: $13,992.00
Required additional funding per client $18,387.25

Estimated Annual Costs For 48 Clients: $1,554,204.00

Estimated Annual Social Security Benefits: $671,616.00
Estimated Annual Grant Funding Needed: $882,588.00
*Staffing costs include employer paid taxes, retirement, and insurance.

http://livingwage.mit.edu/states/26
http://www.michigan.gov/healthcareers/0,1607,7-221-39742-63174--,00.html
http://www.valuepenguin.com/average-cost-of-homeowners-insurance
CP DESIGN 5

Evidence:

A new study released today by UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) and the

Optum Institute finds that volunteering is linked to better physical, mental

and emotional health. Doing Good is Good for You: 2013 Health and

Volunteering Study reveals that 76 percent of U.S. adults who volunteer

report that volunteering has made them feel physically healthier, and 78

percent report that volunteering lowers their levels of stress, leading to

feeling better than adults who do not volunteer. The study also illustrates

that employers benefit from employees who volunteer in terms of better

employee health and in professional-skills development that employees use

in the workplace (UNITED HEALTH GROUP, n.d.). Since the passage of the

Community Mental Health Centers Act in 1963, grants have been available to

group homes. State and federal funds such as the Medicaid Home and

Community-Based Waiver continue to support the majority of group homes.

However, some homes operate on donations from private citizens or civic

and religious organizations. Most group homes are owned by private rather

than governmental organizations, and can be either non-profit or for-profit

organizations. Group homes are considered more cost effective compared to

institutional care. (Group Homes, n.d.).

Recruitment Offers:
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I would build relationships with local non profit organizations to build clientele based on a

referral process to get this organization off the ground. This could mean that I would actively be

educating different organizations like Narcotics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Interfaith

shelter, and different mental health clinics to see if there are clients that fit this population. I

would also have to be actively advertising on the radio, and local television stations about this

opportunity.
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References

Bipolar Disorder & Suicide: Statistics, Signs, and Prevention. (n.d.). Retrieved January 19, 2016,

from http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/bipolar-disorder-suicide

Group homes. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2016, from http://www.minddisorders.com/Flu-

Inv/Group-homes.html

Meyer, U., Feldon, J., & Dammann, O. (2012). Schizophrenia and autism: Both shared and

disorder-specific pathogenesis via perinatal inflammation? Retrieved January 26, 2016,

from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3086802/

Preventing Drug Abuse: The Best Strategy. (n.d.). Retrieved February 16, 2016, from

https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-

addiction/preventing-drug-abuse-best-strategy
CP DESIGN 8