The Mental Health Services Program is Reconstructed to Better Serve Our Community

....What is the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)?

...In November 2004, California voters approved a measure to create and expand a comprehensive community-needs-based mental health system for all to better serve California's communities.

These funds provide the opportunity to improve access to mental health services for underserved diverse populations, that may include consumers and their families, and to interact with them for the planning of non-traditional solutions and strategies with desired individual and system outcomes and opportunities for productive system transformation within their communities. All of these services are focused on programs for the recovery of individuals to improve their community's quality of life and well being.

The Components:
The MHSA has six separate components:
1. Community Program Planning
2. Community Services & Supports
3. Prevention/Early Intervention
4. Innovations
5. Capital Facilities & Technology
6. Education & Training

The Elements:
The MHSA calls for five essential elements of a transformed mental health system:

• Community Collaboration
• Cultural Competence
• Client/Family Driven
• Recovery and Wellness Focus
• Integrated Service Experience

The success of the Act is to adequately address the mental health needs of the unserved and underserved populations by expanding and developing the types of services and support that have proven to produce successful outcomes, considered to be innovative, cultural and linguistically competent, community-based, client- and family-centered, and consistent with evidence-based practices.

Specific successful outcomes include:
• Decrease health disparities, hospitalization, incarceration
• Increase access to care
• Decrease out-of-home placements
• Decrease homelessness
• Increase meaningful use of time and capabilities

The MHSA will hold counties accountable for specific outcomes.

Salud+HealthInfo is for information and educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis or hands-on treatment. If you are concerned abut your health or that of a child, please consult your family's physician or health provider immediately and do not try to diagnose yourself. Salud+Health Info is published and distributed free of charge by Info Option Network (ION) Publishing Company. Copyright © 2001-2006 Info Option Network

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