Bridging the Gaps

BY EMILY BRASHEAR

Bridges connect us — they create pathways and link one point to another. In her role as targeted case coordinator for Christian Appalachian Project (CAP), Andrea Horn works to connect individuals with community resources, meeting participants’ basic needs and ultimately supporting better mental health outcomes. Through her work with CAP’s Family Life Counseling Services (FLCS), she helps bridge the gaps, helping people find stability, support, and hope.

After she received her bachelor’s degree in social work from Morehead State University in 2012, Horn worked with the Commonwealth of Kentucky as a social service clinician for nearly six years. She focused on out-ofhome care with youth in foster care in association with the Department of Protection and Permanency. She then took a role as a case manager with Pikeville Medical Center before joining CAP.

She was drawn to FLCS from previous experience referring individuals to their services. “As a worker with the state, I remember making numerous referrals for clients to FLCS, particularly with Chris Griffith and Dale Hamilton,” Horn said. “I knew going in that if I was blessed enough to join the organization, that I was going to be surrounded by talented people throughout CAP who have the common goal of just helping others in Appalachia.”

Recently, catastrophic natural disasters have impacted the Appalachian region, an area that was already resource-poor relative to other areas of the state and the nation. Though the people of Appalachia remain incredibly resilient, poverty rates remain higher in Appalachia than the national average according to the Appalachian Regional Commission. Here, there is still a significant need for employment opportunities, reliable transportation, and quality education.

“The rigors of life here can bear down on our participants, and resources often don’t meet the demands placed upon them,” says Chris Griffith, manager of FLCS. “Many people have been impacted by the historic flood we experienced in 2022. We have served those directly affected and those whose family members were hit hard. The aftereffects are like waves that emanate outwards. There has been a trickle effect where some displaced families have been taken in by their families or some have needed financial assistance in the interim. We see the long-term stressors of this trauma at multiple levels.”

Horn’s targeted case coordinator role was created to address this ongoing need. Alleviating the challenges participants face can support positive mental health treatment outcomes. Horn helps create bridges between the people FLCS serves and the available community resources or resources within CAP that will benefit them. This can look like housing assistance, funding for education, transportation, or resources to address food insecurity.

“Through my role as a targeted case coordinator, I am able to make community connections with some wonderful organizations that offer services CAP does not currently have,” Horn said. “I feel as if there is so much good being done in counseling through our wonderful counselors, and maybe [participants] cannot fully absorb everything they are learning and processing if they are worried about meeting their basic needs outside of that therapeutic process. Through case coordination, I am able to help offset that worry for them so they can focus on their mental health needs.”

With the addition of Horn in this role, the counselors at FLCS have been able to focus on mental health treatment planning and service delivery while she fills the need for advocacy and referrals for resources for participants. She is able to help them build a strong and stable foundation.

“There are so many people who are struggling in Appalachia, for one reason or another, and to have someone in a role like this to help people in need navigate challenges is a wonderful blessing,” Horn said.

To learn more about FLCS and the services they offer, visit christianapp.org/familycounseling.