The DC Legislative Agenda for Behavioral Health

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The DC Legislative Agenda for Behavioral Health
Presentation by Beth Jamieson, MSW, Public
Policy Analyst and Susie Cambria, MSW, Interim
Executive Director June 5, 2007 to Radical
Positivity Conference, Coordinating Systems of
Care for the Districts Most Vulnerable Children
and Families
1616 P St NW, Suite 420 Washington, DC
20036 [phone] [phone]
fax bjamieson_at_dckids.org www.dckids.org
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About DC Action for Children
DC Action for Children is an independent,
non-profit, multi-issue advocacy organization
dedicated to improving conditions for children,
youth and their families in the District of
Columbia. We were founded in 1992. We are
currently focused on early care and education,
child welfare, child health, youth development
and the Districts budget.
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What to expect from this session

• Who does what in behavioral health
• How to work with decision/policy makers
• The Districts budget process
• Current local issues in mental health
• Current national issues in mental health
• How to build a comprehensive mental health system
  for children

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Who does behavioral health work in the District?

• That depends on what you mean by doing
  behavioral health
• If you mean who has legal oversight of the
  Department of Mental Health, then it is the
  court and monitor
• If you mean who manages substance abuse
  prevention and treatment, it is the Department
  of Health, APRA, City Council and mayors staff
• If you mean who develops programs and policies,
  then it is the agencies, City Council and
  mayors staff

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The role of the Department of Mental Health

• DMH provides comprehensive mental health services
  to adults, children, youth, and their families
• DMH develops, supports and provides oversight for
  a comprehensive, community based,
  consumer-driven, culturally competent quality
  mental health system

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The Role of the Department of Health

• MCOs are required to provide mental health
  services to their clients. This is because
  behavioral health is carved into the contracts.

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The role of the Addiction Prevention and Recovery
Administration (DOH)

• APRA is the one-stop agency for the prevention
  and treatment of substance abuse in the District
• APRAs primary focus is the prevention of
  substance abuse but identifying, treating and
  rehabilitation individuals is also APRAs
  responsibility

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The role of the Executive Office of the Mayor

• The Executive Office of the Mayor is responsible
  for developing policy, providing management for
  city agencies and serving the public.
• Where to find important information
• District government website, www.dc.gov
• District of Columbia Register
• DC Code
• TV/Cable/Internet, http//octt.dc.gov/services/cha
  nnel13/menu.shtm

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The role of the Office of the City Administrator

• The Office of the City Administrator is
  responsible for providing support to the Deputy
  Mayors and implementing policy priorities,
  monitoring budgetary constraints and integrating
  operational directives.
• Where to find important information
• Office of the City Administrator, www.oca.dc.gov
• Phone [phone]

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The role of the City Council and Committee on
Health

• The Committee on Health conducts oversight of the
  Department of Health, Mental Health and Addition,
  Prevention and Recovery Administration, as well
  as other city health agencies. The Committee is
  also responsible for conducting budget hearings
  on agencies under its pervue.
• Each Councilmember has constituent services
  offices which help individual citizens when they
  have difficulty working with a city agency or
  need services.
• Where to find important information
• Council of the District of Columbia,
  www.dccouncil.us
• Committee on Health, http//www.dccouncil.washingt
  on.dc.us/catania/committee/

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The role of DCPS and charter schools

• Within the DCPS there are school health
  programs. DCPS also houses school mental
  health programs that provide prevention services
  funded through DMH.
• Some charter schools have school health and
  mental health programs.
• Where to find important information
• District of Columbia Public Schools,
  www.k12.dc.us
• Public Charter School Board, www.dcpubliccharter.c
  om
• Mental health programs in the schools,
  http//dmh.dc.gov/dmh/cwp/view,a,3,q,516043.asp
  

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The Role of the Child and Family Services Agency
(CFSA)

• CFSA is responsible for providing mental health
  services to meet the needs of children and youth
  in the child welfare system. If DMH does not
  provide services than CFSA is required to ensure
  that that childs mental health needs are met.
• Where to find important information
• Child and Family Services Agency www.cfsa.dc.gov

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The Role of the Department of Youth
Rehabilitative Services (DYRS)

• DYRS is responsible for providing citywide
  services for delinquency prevention and control
  to the protection of the community and the
  rehabilitation of youth. DYRS is also
  responsible for providing treatment to youth
  under their care including mental health
  services. If DMH does not provide the services
  than DYRS must meet the youths needs.
• Where to find important information
• Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services
  www.dyrs.dc.gov

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The current local budget landscape

• Department of Mental Health FY 2008 budget
  includes
• 280,000 increase to Children and Youth Services
  Activity for supportive services for school
  mental health programs
• The Committee on Health directed DMH to spend no
  less than 4.35 million in school mental health
• 2.9 million for mobile crisis response and beds
  per LaShawn Amended Implementation Plan
• 1.5 million for psychiatric and psychological
  assessments for court-involved youth

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The current local budget landscape (cont)

• APRA FY 2008 Budget includes
• 8.4 million in the Prevention and Youth Services
  Activity
• No less than 12.5 million for the Choice in Drug
  Treatment Program

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The current local budget landscape (cont)

• The Department of Health FY 2008 budget includes
• The Committee on Health allocated no less than
  11.2 million for the provision of school health
  services in partnership with Childrens National
  Medical Center.
• There was a 1.6 million increase in the Maternal
  and Family Health Administration for school
  health in addition to the 9.6 million already
  allocated.
• The Maternal and Family Health Administration
  received one time funding of 100,000 to go to
  the DC Assembly on School Health to provide
  operational support for school health programs.

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The DC budget process

• The budget process begins in September and
  continues through June. There are several places
  in the process where individuals can help inform
  the process. From making initial recommendations
  to lobbying the Council on budget priorities,
  citizens can take an active role in the budget
  process.
• Tools The District Budget Process Step-by-Step

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The national landscape

• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Child Healthcare Crisis Relief Act of 2007 (H.R.
  2073)
• Mental Illness Parity in SCHIP (S 1337)
• Keeping Families Together Act (S. 382/ H.R. 687)
• For more information go to www.nami.org

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Building a Comprehensive Childrens Mental Health
System

• Current program DC CINGS
• What does a comprehensive plan look
• like?
• Current barriers to a comprehensive
• mental health system
• Steps towards building a
• comprehensive mental health system

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Resources for local information

• DC Action for Children www.dckids.org
• EPSTDhttp//www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicaidEarlyPeriod
  icScrn/02_Benefits.aspTopOfPage
• School mental healthhttp//dmh.dc.gov/dmh/cwp/v
  iew,a,3,q,516043.asp
• LaShawn www.cfsa.dc.gov
• APRA http//tinyurl.com/3yykho or go to
  www.app.doh.dc.gov