CHRIS 180 INC
1030 fayetteville road, atlanta, GA 30316 www.chris180.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: CHRIS 180, Inc. is a nationally accredited nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to heal children, strengthen families and build community. CHRIS is an acronym for our values: Creativity, Honor, Respect, Integrity and Safety. Trauma Informed behavioral health services are at the core of every program. CHRIS 180 meets people where they are, celebrates the gifts of diversity, seeks to promote equity, works toward equal justice and recognizes the impact of structural and systemic racism as one of the sources of trauma in society. CHRIS 180 helps children, adults and families who have experienced trauma change the direction of their lives to become more productive, self-sufficient members of the community. This is accomplished through behavioral health counseling, training, safe housing and real-world skill building. During 2019, CHRIS 180 provided life changing services for 9,603 unduplicated people through its various programs and services and provided specialized training to

TO HEAL CHILDREN, STRENGTHEN FAMILIES, AND BUILD COMMUNITY. CHRIS is an acronym for our values: Creativity, Honor, Respect, Integrity and Safety.

Behavioral Health Services: CHRIS 180 is a behavioral health organization with trauma informed care at the center of all programs and services. CHRIS 180 meets people where they are, celebrates the gifts of diversity, seeks to promote equity, works toward equal justice and recognizes the impact of structural and systemic racism as one of the sources of trauma in society. The Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) questionnaire has been utilized since 2007 to help assess levels of trauma individuals have experienced. Research by the Centers of Disease Control over two decades reveals that without intervention an ACE Score of four (4) or more is predictive of poor long-term physical health, mental health and social functioning outcomes as well as a significantly shortened life span. CHRIS 180 identifies, understands and treats the impact of chronic stress and ACEs so that children, young adults and families can recover, build resiliency, live full lives and avoid negative long term physical and mental health consequences. CHRIS 180 is an active member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) and is providing leadership to help NCSN develop a series on Supporting Trauma-Informed Schools to Keep Students in Classrooms. CHRIS 180 offers trauma informed behavioral health services for children, adults and families throughout the greater metro Atlanta area to help them through tough times so that they can feel and function better. CHRIS 180 focuses on decreasing stigma, eliminating barriers to increase access, and expanding our impact through partnerships, place-based counseling and substance abuse services in communities and through telehealth. In 2019 CHRIS 180 opened a day treatment substance abuse program for teens and young adults, expanded counseling and community health services for adults through the Westside Empowerment Center and, in December, opened an Integrated Health Clinic in partnership with Mercy Care in East Atlanta. CHRIS 180s special focus is on helping people heal and recover from trauma. Therapists utilize 26 different evidenced based treatment modalities to ensure people receive the individually tailored assistance they need to help them develop the skills required to build personal resiliency and sustain recovery. Therapists use their skills to help people confront, build resiliency and heal from past sexual abuse, physical abuse and/or other adverse childhood/life experiences. Partnerships with the Morehouse School of Medicine and the Emory University Medical School enable psychiatric fellows to further their training. Partnerships with several colleges provide supervised internship experiences for Masters level clinical interns. Counseling locations include: CHRIS Counseling Center in Atlanta, GA; Adamsville Health Center, Oakhill Family and Children Center, At Promise Center, Westside Empowerment Center and North Fulton Annex in Fulton County; CHRIS Counseling Center Gwinnett located in Lawrenceville, GA; 42 schools in the City of Atlanta, Clayton County, DeKalb County and Fulton County Public School Systems; partner locations; in the community; and, through TelePsychiatry. Plans for 2020 include opening a CHRIS Counseling Center in DeKalb County. CHRIS 180 continued to expand school-based counseling services during 2019 and was providing school based mental health services in 42 schools at the end of 2019. Year three of Project 180 was completed. Project 180 is a school based, trauma informed training and therapy initiative in six City of Atlanta Public Schools located in high poverty communities. Project 180 is funded through the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). During 2019, counseling was provided to 4,752 individuals across all locations. ACE (Adverse Childhood Experience) scores for those served across client locations indicated that from 38% to 89% of individuals had a score of four (4) or more. All clients receive a trauma assessment, 98% of families reported feeling less stress and reported improvements in family functioning. 87% reported that they would recommend the CHRIS Counseling Center to others. Pre and post tests for children served in school settings indicate that the number of students with highest risk decreased by one fifth and revealed a 39% increase in improved behavior and school attendance and a 42% decrease in disciplinary referrals.

Community Services: CHRIS 180 offers an expanding array of trauma informed community services designed to help children, adolescents and adults, strengthen families and build safe, resilient communities. Our unique approach meets people where they are and combines a therapist with a caseworker who work in partnership with individuals and families to strengthen relationships within the family and help each family member build the skills necessary to thrive. Community services are often provided in partnership with other community providers and leverage each partners strengths to accomplish goals. During 2019, 2,633 individuals received help. Keeping Families Together (KFT): CHRIS 180 assists Georgias most vulnerable children and their families in building a plan of support and services to help them establish safety and stability in their homes and strengthen the family unit, enabling them to become stronger and stay together. During 2019, 33% - 52% of clients had an ACE of four (4) or more. Utilizing evidence-based models that include High Fidelity WrapAround and Multi-Systemic Therapy, families are helped to navigate multiple systems and community resources while receiving prevention, reunification and support services that help them achieve their goals so that families and each individual within the family can build a natural support system in the community and build skills to help themselves. During 2019, 1,740 individuals received assistance and safety was ensured for all children in all families. 96% of families were strengthened, avoiding disruption through hospitalization, incarceration or the out-of-home placement of a child; 98% of youth classified as designated juvenile felons graduated with no new juvenile charges and remained with their families, avoiding re-incarceration*; and, 94% of families reported that they would recommend CHRIS 180 services to others. KFT community services are also provided to incarcerated young adults, including young parents through expanded re-entry programs in Fulton County Jail. The mens program in Fulton County had a 91% success rate. *Research conducted by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice determined that with each additional ACE, a delinquent youths risk of becoming a serious, violent and chronic offender increases 35 times. CHRIS Adoptions: CHRIS Adoptions provides a unique set of trauma informed services and supports to ensure that children in foster care truly have a forever family because no child should ever have to age out of foster care. No potential adoptive family or child in need of adoption is denied based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. In 2013, CHRIS 180 developed a Trauma Informed Foster Care Adoption Model (TIFCAM) with the goal of reducing and eliminating failed adoptions for children in foster care. Gateway Foster Homes were envisioned and created by CHRIS 180 to support the adoption, re-unification and kinship care process by providing specialized foster homes for sibling groups in foster care who are often placed in hotels temporarily, are separated into different foster homes or for whom the separation of siblings can be avoided in the first place. During 2019, 91 individuals were served, 24 prospective parents completed training, six children were placed in their adoptive homes and 10 children were engaged in the matching process with prospective families. There have been no adoption disruptions since the programs inception in 2013. Drop In Center: Funded largely through a contract with the State of Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD), the Drop In Center focuses on the crisis of youth homelessness through helping 16 26 year old youth and young adults make a safe transition to adulthood and by assisting them in meeting their needs for safe housing, counseling, employment and support services. Targeted outreach makes sure that LGBTQ+ youth are embraced. A supported employment program was implemented as an additional service in 2019. 51% of the youth served have an ACE score of four (4) or more. During 2019, the Drop In Center helped 221 youth. Of these youth, 96% of those requesting housing were successfully linked to housing, 98% that needed vital records successfully obtained the needed vital records, and 78% wanting employment obtained employment and maintained employment for 90 days. Youth Build: The Youth Build program is funded through a grant with the Department of Justice which was renewed. During 2019, 29 young adults, 64% of whom had an ACE score of four (4) or more, received help and 81% attained a GED and /or construction certification. Opportunities for field construction experience are provided through partnerships. At Promise Youth Center: The At-Promise Youth Center opened in August 2017 in partnership with the Atlanta Police Foundation with CHRIS 180 serving as the lead organization coordinating services with three nonprofit partners. CHRIS 180 is the initial point of contact and all services are guided by a CHRIS 180 assessment. While the goal of the Center is to serve as a detention/jail diversion and intervention center to help youth and young adults, it has been accessed by a wide range of individuals seeking assistance. At Promise has helped 524 youth with counseling, case management services, life skills, GED, workforce development, tutoring, leadership development, substance abuse education and HIV testing. Of the youth between the ages of 15 and 18 served, 49% had an ACE score of four (4) or more and 73% of the young adults, ages 19 through 25, had an ACE score of four (4) or more. The recidivism rate for youth served is 2%, reflecting a 98% success rate. In addition, the At-Promise Center has helped 223 families and young adults who were or are homeless secure stable housing. Since the Center opened, over 700 unduplicated individuals in one of the most distressed and underserved communities in Atlanta have received help and assistance. Community Partnerships: In order to enhance services to populations with need while avoiding duplication of services, CHRIS 180 seeks to leverage our strengths and the strengths of our partners by creating partnerships designed to fulfill our mission in the most cost effective, efficient manner. To this end, during 2019 CHRIS 180 maintained Memorandums of Understanding with almost 50 non-profit and for-profit partners including the Atlanta Police Foundation, the Urban League of Atlanta, the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta, four different public school systems in metro Atlanta and two federally qualified health centers, Mercy Care and HEALing Community. As a result, barriers to services were reduced and access to essential trauma informed counseling and other services were increased for children, adults and families as well as for clients of other nonprofits. A partnership with the Westside Future Fund, the Arthur M. Blank Foundation, and nonprofits working on the Westside have resulted in the development of a Westside Connect program which centralizes referral resources on the Westside of the City of Atlanta. A partnership with the Georgia Partnership for TeleHealth continues to expand services on behalf of our clients. Training partners include the Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County Public Schools, Purpose Built Schools, Kendezi Schools, KIPP Schools, the YMCA, Sheltering Arms, United Way, and the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services. Other collaborative partnerships in 2019 included the Ansley School for Homeless Children, Year Up, the Grady Trauma Project, Our House, Open Doors, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, Georgia State University, Fulton County Sheriffs Office, and juvenile courts of Fulton, DeKalb and Gwinnett Counties.

Residential and Housing Services: JourneyZ Homes for Children in Foster Care: The JourneyZ Program is the organizations founding program and consists of eight six-bed homes in the community designed to help traumatized and exploited children in foster care who have severe emotional and behavior problems heal and develop the skills they need to navigate lifes challenges by giving them essential support and a home in a neighborhood. Transgender youth may choose to be placed in the home in which they are most comfortable. 63% of youth have an ACE score of four (4) or more and 29% had experienced at least one failed adoption prior to placement. During 2019, 126 foster children received a home, counseling, and support. All the children demonstrated improvement in life skills, participated in volunteer activities. 87% completed a life skills goal, 31% were able to be successfully reunited with their families or adopted and 81% of youth who aged out of foster care either chose to pursue an Independent Living Program or moved to Summit Trail Apartments which is a permanent supportive housing program owned and operated by CHRIS 180. TransitionZ for Homeless Youth/Young Adults and Youth who are Aging Out of Foster Care: Service components include emergency assistance, permanent supportive housing at Summit Trail Apartments and the outreach in collaboration with the Drop In Center and Outreach and Community Housing Program. The goal of services is to help single and parenting homeless youth and those aging out of foster care become self-sufficient adults through a combination of housing, counseling and support services. Support services include case management, life skills, educational support, financial management, job coaching, and parenting skills. 74% of youth served have an ACE score of four (4) or more. During 2019, permanent supportive housing was provided at Summit Trail Apartments for 69 traumatized, homeless youth and youth aging out of foster care. Parenting young adults had a total of 10 children. The average length of stay in the program was 15.4 months. While living in the apartments 88% of young people were working and/or in school, 84% maintained employment for 90 days or longer, 100% of high school seniors graduated and, 47% were enrolled in a certification program, technical school or college. Outcomes are tracked at 2 and 4 years: Two-year post discharge outcomes: 96% are safely housed 85% are employed and/or in school Four-year + post discharge outcomes: 98% are safely housed 94% are employed and/or in school Outreach and Community Housing: The Outreach and Community Housing program prevents homelessness for young adults with mental health issues who are up to age 35 (and their families) and helps those who are already homeless by assisting them in obtaining bridge (temporary) housing, stable housing and employment while they receive support, counseling, guidance and instruction designed to foster self-sufficiency. Outreach in the community makes clear that services are inclusive of race, ethnicity, gender identity and sexual orientation. Partners include the Partners for Home (Atlanta Continuum of Care), the DeKalb Continuum of Care, Salvation Army, Quest Community Development, Open Doors and the Westside Future Fund. During 2019, 237 children and 378 young adults, 78% of whom had an ACE score of four (4) or more, were safely housed, 99% of those housed remain housed, 94% are working and 27% are also in school. During 2019, support, assistance, resource guides and referrals were provided to 347 homeless youth and young adults through face to face meetings and telephone follow up support. Of these 347 youth and young adults, 100% became and remain housed. 97% are working and 21% are also in school. An additional 1,171 youth who contacted the program via, email, Facebook or telephone seeking housing and assistance were provided support and guidance as well as resource guides and referrals for help available through CHRIS 180 and other providers. Telephone follow up calls, emails and Facebook messages were made to offer additional services and provide on-going support.

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