Core Service Agency
Mental Health Clinical Services
Green Door is a certified Core Service Agency (CSA) under the District of Columbia’s Department of Mental Health and provides a variety of mental health services for our members. The term “Core Service Agency” means that we are responsible for helping our members get all their basic (or core) needs met. A CSA provides:
- Medication management and psychiatric services
- Medication/health education
- Individual, group, and family counseling
- Community support/case management
- 24-hour support in times of emergencies
- Assertive Community Treatment (very intensive case management services) linkage
- Intensive Day Treatment linkage
- Services and supports for families
- Programs for people with substance abuse issues and mental illness
- Day activities
- Employment services
- Homeless outreach services
- Forensics and criminal justice services
- Staffed and independent housing
What happens when a person with a mental illness calls Green Door for help?
Green Door can set up an intake appointment within a week. Intake staff and the potential new member meet over several days to assess all the needs the new member would like help meeting. Together they develop an action plan for what they will do together and for how Green Door can help them meet their goals.
This action plan (Individual Recovery Plan) might include the Community Support Worker (case manager) helping the new member find housing, a job, or medical care; assisting them to return to school; or get into a substance abuse support group. Green Door physicians and nurses track physical needs as well as mental health needs, and prescribe the lowest dose of medication possible. The Community Support staff person can help the member with money management, meal planning, and cooking. They can help a member who forgets to take their medication and obtain counseling for them, if they want it.
Green Door staff are on call for our members at all times. We help our members to receive more intensive crisis services when needed.