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| The Adult Mental Health Division works to ensure that programs and services are available throughout Minnesota. People may need assistance in a variety of areas, such as employment, housing, social connections, family relations and other co-occurring conditions. With the exception of the State Operated Services area of DHS and some state staff working with special county initiatives, the state does not provide direct services. However, the division does provide state and federal funding for mental health treatment. In Minnesota, the county is responsible for providing publicly funded mental health services with federal, state and county funding. In many parts of the state, counties contract with providers to deliver mental health services |
| The 2008 Legislature directed the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to convene a workgroup of stakeholders from the child, adolescent and adult mental health systems and staff of the health economics program, Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to develop recommendations to reduce the number of unnecessary patient days in acute care facilities. The workgroup was also charged with developing recommendations on how to best meet the acute care mental health needs of children, adolescents and adults. An examination of current and future workforce issues and recommendations to address any shortages was also a required part of the report. This report to the Legislature is available online (PDF 39 pages) |
| This legislation was passed by the 2007 Legislature and signed by the governor. The initiative was based on the recommendations of the Minnesota Mental Health Action Group, builds on legislation passed in 2006 and includes $34 million in new investments over the coming biennium to continue improving the accessibility, quality and accountability of publicly funded mental health services. The 2007 legislation reintroduced several components of the 2006 legislation and includes new improvements based on recommendations from consumers, advocates, family members, counties and providers since the last legislative session. For more information about the 2007 legislation, click on the following links: |
| The Adult Mental Health Division and Children’s Mental Health Division joint application for the federal government Community Mental Health Services Federal Block Grant (FBG) (PL 102-321) was approved for federal fiscal years 2009-2011. The grant application describes the public mental health system in Minnesota; identifies goal targets and action plans; and describes the proposed use of the FBG. The application is updated on an annual basis. As part of the application, states must submit an annual “Implementation Report” which reports on the previous year’s utilization of the grant funds, progress toward the goal targets, and data required for the federal Universal Reporting System Basic and Developmental Tables. Public input is sought in the development and updating of the application, and on an ongoing basis. The 2009 application, as well as the 2008 Implementation Report, are available online. Please provide input in writing to Richard Seurer at Adult Mental Health Division, Minnesota Department of Human Services, P.O. Box 64981, St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0981; or e-mail to Richard.Seurer@state.mn.us. |
| The State of Minnesota has received a $3.35 million grant from the federal government to enhance services for those with co-occurring mental illness and chemical dependency. The grant is spread over five years and was made by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. See the co-occurring disorders Web pages for more information. |
| Goal 1 Americans Understand that Mental Health Is Essential to Overall Health. |
| Goal 2 Mental Health Care Is Consumer and Family Driven. |
| Goal 3 Disparities in Mental Health Services Are Eliminated. |
| Goal 4 Early Mental Health Screening, Assessment, and Referral to Services Are Common Practice. |
| Goal 5 Excellent Mental Health Care Is Delivered and Research Is Accelerated. |
| Goal 6 Technology Is Used to Access Mental Health Care and Information. |
| About 50 percent of persons who have a serious mental illness also have a substance use problem. Research has found that integrating mental health and chemical dependency treatment is more effective than parallel services or completing treatment in one area (i.e. mental health) and then receiving treatment in the other area (i.e. chemical dependency). Report to Congress on co-occurring disorders is available online. This link takes you to the table of contents for the report. The report is about 150 pages long. |
| The Adult Mental Health and Chemical Health Divisions are working on ways to integrate services at the local level and funding projects to plan for, design and evaluate these new services. Six hundred individuals attended an all-day training session on integrated dual-diagnosis treatment. This expert also provided more hands-on, intensive consultation to two counties that receive funds from the Adult Mental Health Division to effect systems changed and to implement an integrated model of service delivery. |
| Sufficient research and evaluation of community mental health services delivery shows the system must move to embrace the practices shown to be effective in: improving consumer quality of life outcomes; reducing use of more costly, more restrictive services; and satisfying consumers. Examples of proven methods are: |
| The Adult Mental Health Division provides extensive training, on-site consultation and technical assistance to regions implementing Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), Illness Management and Recovery (IMR), Supportive Employment and Integrated Dual Disorder Treatment (IDDT). |
| Often individuals with mental illness can receive services by both public and private providers. To improve coordination of services, the Adult Mental Health Division is working with health plans, counties, and community hospitals and providers to reduce fragmentation and to expand the range of available services. |
| For more information about the Adult Mental Health Division, call (651) 431-2225. |
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