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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR:	Beam		DATE TYPED:	02/06/02		HB	HJM 60
SHORT TITLE:		Peer-Run Services for Mental Illness				SB
					ANALYST:		Wilson

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY02	FY03	FY02	FY03
		$0.1 - Significant		Recurring	GF/OSF/FF

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Department of Health (DOH)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

House Joint Memorial 60 requests that the Behavioral Health Services Division (BHSD) of the DOH lead a task force to develop peer-run services and other non-professional services to assist persons to cope with and overcome persistent mental illness. HJM 60 goes on to require that the task force be composed of a statewide alliance for the mentally ill, an existing consumer-operated drop-in center, an association for depressed and manic-depressed, an organization that provides “warm-line” telephone services and others that DOH determines to be appropriate. HJM 60 requires BHSD to present its findings to the Legislative Finance and Health and Human Services Committees by October 30, 2002.

Significant Issues

The DOH states that the creation of a task force to address such a narrow service area is not an effective use of time or funds. The task force would be focused on a single category of activities that are only one of several grass roots activities whose real purpose is to empower consumers in their recovery.

BHSD has established the Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) and this office is specifically engaged in a Consumer-Driven Grass Roots Recovery System that promotes hope through empowerment. The OCA works closely with consumers, family members, mental health professionals, professional organizations and administrators through initiatives, projects and programs. The focus of OCA

supported services are to advance the principles and values of the grassroots movement. OCA leadership is designed to meet consumer needs of community integration, rehabilitation, education and training, which promotes recovery through empowerment.

The OCA administers programs designed to reach local communities. This includes citizen coordinators (selected and trained) to develop and implement a behavioral health project in their local community. One coordinator is targeted specific to family issues and concerns. Four citizen organizers have been selected and trained. These consumers are responsible for developing and implementing behavioral health projects as well as coordinating community-training efforts statewide.

The OCA office conducts a number of other activities that include: the Leadership Academy, providing scholarships for participation at national conferences, training in empowerment workshops, supporting self-help support groups created to destigmatize mental illness. Finally, the Consumer Satisfaction Survey Project is a quality assurance activity for consumers by consumers. Consumers are responsible for the design and distribution, completion and analysis of surveys and data. The annual survey measures quality and accessibility to care and is incorporated into the overall continuous quality improvement process for BHSD.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

DOH would be required to perform all of the activities necessary to create, facilitate and report on the activities of a task force using existing funds and staff. DOH claims that BHSD cannot assume any additional projects without revenue to cover the cost of the project.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

DOH claims that BHSD is already addressing the problems that are enumerated in HJM 60. The passage of HJM 60 will create an additional burden on BHSD and take existing staff resources away from current initiatives to address mental health problems.

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

The DOH recommends not supporting this memorial as the issue to be addressed by the purposed task force is narrow and peer-run activities are being developed within OCA.

The OCA Consumer Grassroots Movement defines a major role in the formulation, development and implementation of these initiatives and activities. The grassroots movement increases the involvement of individuals with mental health and substance abuse disorders. In addition, their families have an opportunity to become involved in mutual support services, consumer-run services and advocacy. These are powerful agents, which enable consumers to integrate in the community. Both the community and consumer are impacted through increased access to quality care, by augmenting the community’s diversity of talents and destigmatizing the consumer.

The OCA has established the Regional Advisory Committees and Statewide Advisory Committee consisting of four consumers per region, which are selected and used in an advisory capacity. Their function is to identify gaps in the mental health and substance abuse system and to help improve the service delivery systems in their respective regions.

All BHSD activities are peer-driven and peer-run and in crisis individuals may select different routes for recovery. The system is over whelmed due to lack of the financial resources needed to provide adequate community supports; not because, there is lack of peer-run services. Overall, the need to empower consumers to successfully live; socialize; learn and work in their community, for the purpose of recovery is to promote empowerment.

DW/ar