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In the News

Mélange Staff Demonstrates their Commitment to the Charlotte Community
December 17, 2009

During the holiday season, Mélange Health Solutions staff has provided much needed contributions to the Charlotte community.  Mélange staff contributed their time and resources to several community organizations:

• Food drive campaign donated 83 pounds of food to the Second Harvest Food Bank.
  
• Clothing drive campaign collected 80 pounds of clothing (scarves, gloves, jackets, hats etc.) to The Relatives.
  
• Christmas gifts and toys to Charlotte Housing Authority residents and families through the 2nd annual Gift wrapping party sponsored by CHA and Zuri Creations.
  
• Christmas gifts and toys to Double Oaks Community Center. The center sponsored youth from Double Oaks, Anita Stroud Foundation, DSS foster kids, and Star Academic Tutorial students.
  
• Personal items (soap, toothpaste, deodorant, lotion) to the Salvation Army’s Center of Hope women’s shelter.

According to Gardner Hawkins, Melange’s Managing Director, “when organizations function as economic and social assets, they can play a vital role in the communities they serve. Our staff are committed to the communities we serve.

All our activities were initiated and led by Mélange staff. For example, Deirdre Orr, a Mélange Case Manager, led both our food and clothing drives. Her dedication and leadership was inspiring to the organization and we are blessed to have such compassionate professionals on our team.”

Mélange Demonstrates “A Client First” Philosophy in the Charlotte Community
November 12, 2009

During the previous 12 months, Mélange Health Solutions has provided over $100,000 of pro bono services to those not able to afford or qualify for behavioral health or case management services. Moreover, they have provided such services with the same dedication and commitment to excellence with which the organization serves its paying clients.

According to Mélange Managing Director Gardner Hawkins, the preapproval process among insurance carriers can take anywhere from 4-6 weeks for some cases. “The lead time to initiate treatment for clients in crisis can be surprising. We cannot bring ourselves to turn away someone in crisis or delay treatment because they cannot afford to pay for services or case management. We have treated clients free of charge, if necessary, until we can get reimbursed for services or secure payment assistance for the clients.”

Hawkins highlights how the pro bono work provided is an extension of the Mélange culture in which the value and tradition of giving back are emphasized whenever possible. “During the current challenging economic environment, it is more important than ever for companies that owe their success to the community to support those experiencing financial difficulties”.

Damon Scott, COO, elaborates on how Mélange supports those in need: “We have provided pro bono support through crisis intervention where we make home visits, provide family counseling or therapy. However, many of the cases involve using our case managers to assist families in accessing services that they need and are qualified to receive.” Mélange case managers are skilled and experienced in working with MeckCares, DSS, and a range of organizations can provide solutions for our clients.

Mélange Health Solutions Announces Appointment of New Clinical Director
November 9, 2009

Dr. Angela Hargrow was appointed Clinical Director for Mélange Health Solutions on July 27, 2009 assuming responsibilities for all clinical treatment programs, implementation of best practice treatment and assessment protocols, service quality, outcomes assessment and clinical training.

Dr. Hargrow comes to Mélange with over 16 years experience in behavioral healthcare. She has worked in a variety of health settings including community and school based counseling centers; outpatient practice, hospitals, and substance abuse aftercare. An accomplished clinician and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) practitioner, she is credentialed and privileged with BCBS, AETNA, Tri-Care, and Medicaid.

According to Damon Scott, Mélange COO, “We are thrilled to have such a talented professional join our team. Dr Hargrow is held in extremely high regard in the behavioral health community and is known for her clinical skills, collaborations, program management & evaluation, and commitment to the development of clinicians”.

“Working in community based behavioral health care is a passion for me. The challenges facing our community and families are multifaceted and complex. Solutions require an evidence-based, programmatic approach and clinicians skilled in providing effective interventions”, stated Dr Hargrow.

Dr. Hargrow previously worked for UNC-Charlotte before establishing a thriving private practice providing group and individual counseling, consultation, and program evaluation. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Howard University, MSW degree from The University of Michigan and a doctorate in Counseling Psychology from The Ohio State University. She is a Licensed Psychologist.

Mélange Achieves Above Average Scores in Client Satisfaction
July 5, 2009

Monthly surveys of more than 300 clients in 2009, conducted in person and by telephone, showed Mélange achieved a 90% satisfaction rating regularly across multiple service categories in counseling and care coordination services.

Monthly surveys for the past year have been administered to provide Mélange with ongoing metrics on the effectiveness of its programs via direct client feedback regarding treatment, services received, crisis response, and the client’s recovery.

Melange’s Chief Operating Officer Damon Scott commented on how personal letters by clients and parents are consistent with the survey results. “Receiving these letters continuously reminds my team and me of our mission and how a therapeutic and holistic approach to supporting families can make a tremendous difference in their lives.

However, we wanted to put ourselves under closer scrutiny to ensure our service exceeds expectations across a variety of categories. It is one reason we sought national accreditation and why we continually survey our clients,” says Scott.

Mélange has a rigorous continuous improvement process in place and these surveys are one of the tools used to aid us in delivering a unified effort towards effective client-focused treatment and prevention programs."

Mélange’s Community-Based Mental Health Programs Improve Youth Performance and
Enables Cost Saving For Local Schools
June 25, 2009

Systems of care (SOC) coordinated community-based mental health services for children and youth with serious mental health challenges-are able to dramatically improve the academic, behavioral and emotional performance of participating youth according to a report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The report, "Working Together to Help Youth Thrive in Schools and Communities," measured performance outcomes of system of care (SOC) programs and found that these improvements occurred among many young people within 12 months of their enrollment in these programs.

For example, on average, 15 percent of youth (ages 14-18) nationally fail to reach the next grade level, but among youth who receive comprehensive services through system of care programs, only 8 percent had to repeat a grade. School systems, which had children participating in a systems of care program, saved $4.5 million that is attributed to more students being promoted to the next grade level.

The report also reveals that SOC programs are associated with higher graduation rates among high school youth with emotional challenges. On average, 11 percent of youth with emotional challenges drop out of high school each year nationwide, compared to only 8 percent of youth in SOC.

Mélange has over 250 active clients/students in our SOC treatment programs.

Mélange Health Solutions Announces Appointment of New Chief Operations Officer
March 28, 2009

Mélange announced today that Damon Scott, (LMSW) has been appointed the organization’s Chief Operations Officer.

Damon comes to Mélange as an accomplished executive with over 17 year’s experience in mental health, organization leadership and administration. He has worked and developed programs in the following systems: Schools; Hospitals; Juvenile Justice; Foster Care; Psychiatric Residential Treatment; Adoptions & Placement; Community-based Counseling; Therapeutic Adolescent Day Treatment; Substance Abuse; Case Management; Outpatient Services.

Most recently Damon served as the COO for the Girl Scouts, Hornets’ Nest Council in Charlotte leading its business operations and strategic planning for 20,000 in combined membership and managing 1,000 acres of property in
eight Counties in North and South Carolina. Previously, Damon served as the VP of Program Operations for Alexander Youth Network where he directed Alexander’s Charlotte & Lenoir mental health services.

He is a Licensed Social Worker with post-masters clinical certification. Damon is certified in: Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, Field Instruction, and Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential (MAPP) Assessment. Damon has a B.A. degree in Sociology from Trinity College and a M.S.W. degree from New York University. Damon is on the Board of Advisors for The Relatives (Crisis Shelter) in Charlotte, and is a member of Class # 30 for Leadership Charlotte.

Mélange Health Solutions Awarded Three-Year CARF Accreditation
March 24, 2009

CARF International announced that Mélange Health Solutions has been accredited for a period of three years for the following services:

• Assessment and Referral
• Case Management (Children, Adolescents and Adults)
• Intensive Family Based Services

This accreditation decision represents the highest level of accreditation that can be
awarded to an organization and shows the organization’s substantial conformance to the
CARF standards. An organization receiving a Three-Year Accreditation has put itself
through a rigorous peer review process and has demonstrated to a team of administrative
and clinical surveyors during a review process and on-site visit that their programs and
services are of the highest quality, measurable, and accountable.

CARF is an independent, nonprofit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the
quality, value, and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation
process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the
Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF, the
accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure
and improve the quality of their programs and services.

“Mélange is proud to meet the strict standards established by CARF and to receive the
highest level of accreditation” according to Mélange Founder and Managing Director,
Gardner Hawkins. “This achievement is the product of our dedicated staff and their
commitment to providing the highest quality treatment for our clients. We are pleased
that the Commission has recognized our efforts.” stated Jessie Williams, Mélange
Director of Charlotte Operations.

Melange Health Solutions Releases New Media Promo

Mélange Health Solutions Featured in Charlotte’s Pride Magazine
The new model of professional family life coaching is a unique approach to family empowerment that blends current behavioral clinical technique methods with various health care services. One approach to family life coaching includes providing the services to a client and his or her family in their preferred environment, such as the home, school, or community. Download a PDF of the entire article.