Directors of county-level mental systems face persistent and frustrating barriers to engaging individuals with co-existing mental illness and chemical abuse disorders in services, and to supporting them in the community. There is a consensus in the literature and among local and state policy directors that services for individuals with varying degrees of co-occurring mental illness and substance use problems should be coordinated along a continuum ranging from consultation to collaboration to integration. But the fiscal, regulatory and philosophical barriers to these goals are substantial. Based on a state wide survey of county mental health directors, we will describe clinical and non clinical features of the population perceived to need integrated services, the barriers that localities encounter in integrating services, and finally will highlight several local strategies that have met with some success in integrating services.
Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to 1) Describe the population in need of integrated services; 2) Understand barriers to integrating services for co-occurring mental illness and substance use; 3) Describe key stragegies to overcoming barriers to service integration
Keywords: Mental Illness, Substance Abuse
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Principal investigator of technical assistance project contract from non-profit organization: New York State Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors