On the CMHS Front
Brief updates on various activities
Consumer Subcommittee of the CMHS National Advisory Council.
A planning group of representatives from national consumer organizations, convened a meeting in July 1999 to develop criteria for subcommittee membership and to determine processes for identifying and selecting potential members. Since that time, a call for applications brought over 100 responses. The applications are being reviewed by the planning group, and the final selection of subcommittee members will be forthcoming. (For more information contact Paolo del Vecchio, at 301-443-2619 or by e-mail at pdelvecc@samhsa.gov.)
Two Consumer/Survivor - Practitioner Dialogues.
CMHS hosted in 1999 a consumer/psychiatric nurse dialogue and a consumer/social worker dialogue. Participants explored means of partnership building. These dialogues were part of a series of dialogue meetings being supported by CMHS. (For more information, contact Carole Schauer at 301-443-8304 or by e-mail at cschauer@samhsa.gov). (See Dialogue article)
National Congress for Hispanic Mental Health.
Consumers/Survivors Maria Mar (Calif.) and Gilberto Romero (N.M.) addressed the CMHS- sponsored Congress held in Washington, D.C., in March. One hundred Hispanic community leaders and key partners convened to craft an agenda for action and an implementation plan to improve mental health services for the Hispanic community. Proceedings from the Congress will be released this summer. (For more information, contact: Iris Hyman, at 301-443-9824, or by e-mail at ihyman@samhsa.gov.)
National Mental Health Statistics Conference.
CMHS is sponsoring the 49th
National Conference on Mental Health Statistics in late May (see calendar for details). CMHS staff convened a caucus for consumer participants at last year’s statistics’ conference. Participants raised issues, including the need to: educate mental health providers about stigma; sponsor additional consumer forums for older adults; adopt consistent and concrete standards for planning the annual “Alternatives” conference; develop better data, guidelines, and training for protection and advocacy programs; and expand authority and improve training for state planning councils. Participants also noted that the CMHS State Network and Community Action grants, which provide direct funding, have been very effective.
Consumer/Survivor-Training Video for Psychiatric Residents.
CMHS is supporting the production of a video which will focus on first person consumer/survivor accounts and will be used to raise awareness and knowledge on service delivery issues among residents of psychiatry training programs. (For more information contact Carole Schauer at 301-443-8304 or e-mail: cschauer@samhsa.gov).
Asian American and Pacific Islander National Mental Health Summit.
This meeting held in the fall 1999 brought together consumers/survivors, family members, providers, researchers and administrators in an effort to enhance the delivery of culturally competent mental health services to Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. (For more information contact Dr. Tiffany Ho at 301-443-2940 or e-mail: tho@samhsa.gov).
Vermont Parity Act.
CMHS and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Office of Managed Care have initiated a contract to conduct an evaluation on the impact of the Vermont Parity Act, enacted in 1997. Vermont’s statute includes substance abuse and does not restrict parity to specific diseases, making this states’ law more comprehensive than any other in the nation. Another project will examine the effects of the Colorado Parity Act, using data from three managed behavioral health care organizations. (For more information contact the Office of Managed Care, CMHS at 301-443-0588.)
National Mental Health Association Clifford Beers Conference.
CMHS staff sponsored a caucus attended by approximately 50 advocates, consumers, family members, and others at the June 1999 conference. Caucus participants identified several needs, including: focusing more attention on HIV/AIDS and co-occurring issues and examining integrating mental health and substance abuse funding streams; ensuring those grant applicants have adequate time to submit quality proposals; educating practicing psychiatrists about consumer experiences; addressing mental health implications of chronic pain; and continuing advocacy efforts on behalf of older adult consumers. On the issue of stigma, participants suggested that efforts to educate students about stigma should begin early, while they are still in elementary school. (See calendar for information on the 2000 National Mental Health Association Clifford Beers Conference.)
Community Action Grant Program Hispanic Priority Initiative.
The Hispanic initiative, begun in FY 1998 when 11 Hispanic community-based organizations were awarded a total of $1.5 million in 1-year community action grants, is part of a larger effort by SAMHSA to meet the mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment needs of Hispanic communities. In FY 1999, six of the 16 new community action grants also were awarded to Hispanic organizations. Grantees were selected based on their presentations of established, evidence-based models demonstrating effective outcomes. (For more information, contact Buddy Ruiz at 301-443-3653 or e-mail sruiz@samhsa.gov.)
Women and Violence Study.
This two-phase study is expected to generate valuable knowledge on the confluence of violence and co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders affecting women and their children. Fifteen programs in 10 states were awarded a total of $8.5 million in grants to develop effective integrated systems for treatment and care of women who are victims of violence and have co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. (For more information contact Susan Salasin at 301-443-3653 or by e-mail at ssalasin@samhsa.gov).
Criminal Justice Diversion Multi-Site Study.
This study is in its third year, and data collection is proceeding with over 1500 subjects enrolled. A consumer subcommittee of the steering committee of this project has been formed. In Memphis, the Crisis Intervention Team Program has been so successful that more than 25 cities have expressed interest in having it replicated. (For more information contact Mary Westcott at 301-443-2826 or by e-mail at mwescot@samhsa.gov).
Consumer Affairs Bulletin
Volume 4, No. 2 Spring 2000
CMH00-5024
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