Transformation

Welcome

Welcome to the official Internet site of Missouri’s Mental Health Transformation initiative. This site will provide updates of transformation initiatives as well as information on the progress of the active workgroups chartered to address specific topics designated as priorities by the state Transformation Working Group.

Missouri is one of nine states to receive a five-year federal grant for the transformation of its mental health service system. Though based in the state Department of Mental Health, this system involves all human service agencies whose objective is improved quality of life for the citizens of this state.

Under the leadership and charge of the governor of Missouri, the Transformation Working Group has brought together representatives of mental health, health, social services, employment, youth, older adult, and other services. The common goals are to foster communities of hope through cooperation and collaboration of effort, and to employ a public health approach to mental health service delivery.

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Mental Health First Aid expanding in Missouri; state to test a new course targeting adults who work with youth

Mental Health First Aid is taking shape in Missouri, five years after it was introduced in the state through the efforts of staff of the Mental Health Transformation grant, awarded by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The five-year grant will wrap up by March, and sustaining Mental Health First Aid is a priority.

“Our main focus with Mental Health First Aid has been twofold,” said Benton Goon, co-chair of the state Transformation Working Group and Missouri’s representative on the national Mental Health First Aid USA planning team. “We wanted to train enough instructors so that the course is available in all areas of the state, and we wanted to initially target training to groups who are most receptive and where it could be most useful.”

Those objectives seem to have paid off. The state now has 183 certified instructors of Mental Health First Aid statewide, and – in addition to mental health agencies – higher education agencies and faith-based organizations have become partners in the effort to spread the word.

National Council Selects 10 Groups for New Co-Occurring Disorder Learning Community

Pathways Community Behavioral Healthcare of Missouri selected to participate.

Washington, DC, (November 8, 2011)—The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, in partnership with MTM Services and Hazelden, has selected 10 community behavioral health organizations to participate in its new Co-Occurring Disorder Learning Community. This initiative will enable participating organizations to enhance their ability to provide effective integrated and comprehensive care to individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.

First Aid For Anxiety Disorders

 
Washington, DC, Oct. 5, 2011 — If your friend, co-worker or family member was suffering from an anxiety disorder, would you recognize the signs? Would you know how to help?

With October 2-8 being Mental Illness Awareness Week, Mental Health First Aid USA is encouraging people to learn the symptoms of anxiety disorders. Affecting more than 18 percent of U.S. adults (55 million people), it’s the most common mental disorder.

“Everyone experiences anxiety at some time, but being able to recognize an anxiety disorder early on could have a huge impact on someone’s life,” says Linda Rosenberg, the President and CEO of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare, one of the three national entities that runs the Mental Health First Aid program. “If not treated, people with anxiety disorders are more likely to have negative outcomes later in life, including depression, alcohol and drug dependence and even suicide.”

St. Francois County formation of Mental Health Board will help sustain Community of Hope efforts

With help and support of the St. Francois County Community Partnership and DMH staff, the St. Francois County Commission voted unanimously to officially form the St. Francois County Mental Health Board on August 30. The formation of the board will help solidify the Partnership's efforts to call attention to the mental health needs of the county's citizens.

The county commission currently is seeking candidates for the Mental Health Board of Directors.

"It's exciting to see that the needs and resource assessments and statistics that were gathered will now be put to good use," said Candy Zarcone, Special Programs Consultant for the St. Francois County Community Partnership. "I believe good changes are ahead!"

Transformation's five-year accomplishments presented at TWG's final meeting

With the Transformation grant officially ending September 30, 2011, the state Transformation Working Group (TWG) held its final meeting Friday, September 23, in Jefferson City. A major part of that meeting involved a presentation on the accomplishments of the Transformation Initiative shared with Transformation's stakeholders through a live webcast.

"We have had so much going on the last five years, that we could have gone on for hours, but I believe we got the point across that we've accomplished much, and we are confident that the seeds we have planted will be cultivated and grown to full flower in the Department of Mental Health as well as other state and private agencies," according to Mayme Young, TWG chair.

A video of the presentation is available for viewing on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EemVBN_IH_w.

 

DMH/Transformation Release Housing Toolkit

 A toolkit to provide housing resources and information for agencies that serve people with mental disabilities has been completed and is now available on line. The compilation of the Housing Toolkit, funded under Missouri's Mental Health Transformation initiative, was completed as the product of a contract with Places for People -- a St. Louis agency recognized as a leader in providing housing for people with mental illnesses --  and led by its now former executive director, Francie Broderick.

According to Broderick, the document "is not meant to be an exhaustive or complete list of all mental health supported housing or residential programs in Missouri. Rather, I have attempted to describe different models and different approaches used by providers across the state."

TWG releases White Paper on Evidence-Based Practices

The final report of the Evidence-Based Practice workgroup chartered by the Transformation Working Group is now available on line.The report, submitted to the TWG in the form of a white paper, provides a definition of Evidence Based Practice derived from scientific method, and a suggested  "ruler" for determining whether particular mental health services are evidence based.

The TWG encourages state departments that offer mental health services to use the report to strengthen their evidence-based principles, practices, and policies. For additional information on the workgroup's objectives and activities, go to http://missouridmh.typepad.com/transformation/evidence-based-practices-group.html.

National Council Awards Mental Health First Aid USA Challenge Grants

Washington, DC, Sept. 15, 2011 — The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (National Council) announced today it is awarding community dissemination grants to 18 organizations to support Mental Health First Aid programs nationwide.

Introduced in the U.S. in 2008, Mental Health First Aid teaches people how to help someone with the signs and symptoms of mental illness or in a mental health crisis. To date, nearly 30,000 people have been trained through a network of 1,300 certified instructors across the country.

“These grants will help instructors expand Mental Health First Aid offerings in communities across the country,” said Linda Rosenberg, the National Council’s President and CEO. “This simple yet powerful program holds the key to combating stigma, increasing health literacy and building a community’s capacity to reach out to struggling neighbors and families.”

Remembering 9/11, renewing the commitment to trauma-informed care

 
Ten years ago, the fabric of our country was incontrovertibly changed with the tragic events of 9/11. The staff, board, and members of the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare remember the lives that were lost and honor those who remain. We also honor the brave men and women who have fought and continue to fight to keep our country strong, safe, and free.

The tenth anniversary of 9/11 drives home the pervasive and debilitating impact of trauma. Anniversaries of disasters and traumatic events can be “healing” or they can be “triggers,” reminders of the reactions one had to the original event. Even ten years later, one can re-experience what it was like to flee the World Trade Center or the Pentagon, or — in Shanksville, Pennsylvania — to smell, taste, and see the smoke and debris. The closer one was to the epicenter of the tragic event, the more serious the impact.

RESPECT speakers participate in college course videoconference

It's one thing to share your personal life story in front of a group of people. But to share with people in remote locations on a six-site teleclass is another. Two RESPECT speakers from northwest Missouri -- one a veteran speaker and one on his first speaking engagement -- did just that and were cool, calm, and collected throughout the process.

The outing started out normally. The two speakers -- Mark and Steve -- went to speak at a Social Work class at Missouri Western State University. But when they arrived, they discovered the DSM Psychopathology class was to be video-conferenced to six sites: Kennett, Cape Girardeau, Kirksville, Warrensburg, Blue Springs, and Columbia, with 42 students in attendance statewide and a local instructor.

"They did a wonderful job!," said Scott Clark, staff development officer at Northwest Missouri Psychiatric Rehabilitation Center (NMPRC) in St. Joseph, where the two speakers are based. "We knew Mark would handle himself well . . . and did. He attached the lapel mic and said 'test, test' a couple of times and launched into his talk. Stacy (Downey) and I cannot say enough about Steve's performance. This was his first time out. His presentation went really well."