Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness

This study describes the experiences of workers hired under consumer direction. The Cash and Counseling model does not appear to cause adverse consequences for the hired workers. Directly hired workers report high levels of job satisfaction and do not suffer physical or emotional hardship beyond what might be expected for individuals providing care to relatives. This report offers other information implications about consumers, their families and workers’ well-being.

Recovery is the focus of the just released July/August 2005 issue of the SAMHSA/CMHS publication \"Mental Health Transformation Trends\". It includes articles on the following: + Recovery is Happening + State Profile: Ohio Finds Transformation Requires Shared Leadership and Capacity for Change + Federal Partner Spotlight: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services + Consensus on Recovery Achieved + Self-Direction: Consumer Choice in Action

The following summary and white paper outline the accomplishments of Oregon's FY 2001 Real Choice Systems Change Grant. Their white paper held nine recommendations for the transformation of mental health services here in Oregon. The RCSC Consumer/Survivor Task force and other consumers/survivors have also asked that legislation be drafted that directs the Department of Human Services to develop a policy that promotes self-determination. SB 771 and HB3108 are the results of our efforts.

SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) webcasts were broadcast March 16, April 6 and May 25, 2005. Titles Included: 1. Self-Direction and Its Relationship to Mental Health-Principles: Tools of Self-Direction. 2. Models of Self-Direction in Mental Health: What's out there? 3. Self-Direction in Mental Health-From Ideas to Action: Funding Self-Directed Care in Mental Health and Helping People Make It Happen. Materials include presentation slides, resource links and discussion questions.

The 2005 Annual Research Meeting is AcademyHealth's premier forum for health services research. More than 2,300 leading health services researchers and policymakers attended the meeting to hear the latest findings on critical health care delivery topics such as, Medicare, coverage & access, disparities, health information technology, long-term care, health care quality, and patient safety. Review the agenda and over 130 presentations covering 17 major areas of health services research & policy.

This report presents information aggregated from 13 F2F HICs and provides an early indication of the extent and importance of the activities of these critical family centers. The data indicates that F2F HICs are steadily increasing their capacity to document what they do. Both families and professionals frequently seek expertise and assistance from F2F HICs. The most common concerns reported relate to needs for adequate health care financing and links to community resources.

Medicaid is the major public payer of community services and supports for working age adults with serious mental illnesses. This handbook explains how existing Medicaid options and waivers are used by states to finance a broad range of community services and supports for adults with serious mental illnesses, and demonstrates what aspects of state-of-the art community services and supports for this population are funded by Medicaid.

This CMS letter to State Medicaid Directors highlights six evidence-based practices shown to be effective for persons with mental illness. Following each description is a short discussion of the role of Medicaid services to support all or part of the practice.

The 2004 Consumer Direction Initiative Summit convened 79 recipients of mental health, addiction services, families, policymakers, and providers to develop recommendations for SAMHSA’s next steps towards fostering consumer-directed approaches in behavioral health care services for people with substance use disorders, mental illnesses and children with serious emotional disturbances. The report from the summit reviews issues raised in working papers and at the meeting.

As the nation moves toward a recovery-oriented, consumer-and family-driven mental health system, it is vital for all of us to stay involved, informed, and invested in the challenging process at hand. As a periodic briefing, Mental Health Transformation Trends is an important tool to keep our partners and ourselves up to date on emerging issues, practices, and trends in transformation. The premiere issue contains state profiles, partner spotlights, news and resources