United Way of Mid Coast Maine

Mental Health Initiative

Presentation to MidcoastDistrict Coordinating Council

March 8, 2011

Key Objectives

• Raise awareness in the community about mental health issues and challenges, and• Strengthen or create relationships

amongst the providers of services.• Develop a set of short-term

recommendations that could be implemented locally, using local resources.

Description of the Project

Community Forum• 50+ Stakeholders and mental health system

participants. Surveys and Focus Groups• Mental health service providers,• Hospitals,• Schools, and• Consumers of mental health services.

Scope of the Project• Review the state of mental health services in the

region, • Identify areas of excellence.• Identify gaps and unmet needs, and• Outline longer-term systemic issues beyond the

control of this team.

Study areas

• Law Enforcement,• Youth & Education,• Community & Outpatient Services, and• Crisis & Inpatient Services.

Important Themes Emerged

• Integration of behavioral and physical health care, “Medical Home”, and EMR,• Continued improvement in lines of

communication at all levels of the system, and• Expanded access to mental health services

for early detection and intervention.

5 Areas for Immediate Action

• Support expanded Crisis Intervention Training,• Improve public awareness and reduce

stigma,• Expand use of Peer Support Services,• Explore use of non-traditional sites to reach

those not currently getting help, and• Expand case management services, possibly

using group settings.

How Our Project Improved Integration

• The process itself brought the players together and many relationships were renewed or created,• Strengthened the relationship between law

enforcement, corrections and crisis services,• Worked with Maine National Guard and

Togus Veterans Administration Center on issues unique to veterans in crisis,

How Our Project Improved Integration

• Brought school personnel and service providers together to improve communication and access to services, and• Worked with the Public Health system

including ME-CDC and the Sagadahoc Board of Health.

Lessons Learned, Challenges

• The landscape was changing as we were doing the study; this holds true today,• Don’t assume the system participants know

what the others do,• There was potential for conflict when

discussing system problems with all participants at the same table,

Lessons Learned, Challenges

• Substance abuse and mental illness are fundamentally connected, and• The stigma of mental illness is pervasive

and hard to change.

Lessons Learned, Successes

• Significant improvements in mental health services have been made and more are underway, and• 2-1-1 is a valuable resource and

enhancement of mental health listings is underway,

Lessons Learned, Successes

• A connection between the VA, National Guard, law enforcement, and mental health service providers has been created, and• Demonstrated the key leadership role law

enforcement in playing in this arena,

Lessons Learned, Successes

• Supported and strengthened regular meetings between law enforcement, crisis workers, and emergency departments,• Received $50,000 from the John T. Gorman

Foundation, and• Supported a CIT program for 15 officers in

December and another 25 next week, and

Lessons Learned, Successes

• A strong, diverse network of system participants has been created and remains active. These relationships are essential as mental health services continue to evolve and improve.