In Pursuit of a Comprehensive Community-Based System of Care: Findings from the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant Evaluation

The Community Mental Health Services Block Grant program (CMHS BG) is the largest Federal program that assists States in providing mental health services. States are awarded federal funds through the CMHS BG to improve access to community-based health care delivery systems for people with serious mental illnesses who quickly exhaust available insurance benefits. States utilize these funds in innovative ways to target gaps in services and to achieve a system of care that delivers high quality services. This presentation describes findings from the first-ever independent evaluation of the BG program and illustrates at the national level, the programs and practices implemented by States to support a community-based system of care. Analysis of State-reported data reveals a broad spectrum of key accomplishments achieved with the use of CMHS BG funds in areas such as advocacy, continuity of care, suicide prevention, and early intervention. These data are supplemented by interviews and surveys of key Federal, State, and community stakeholders involved in the implementation and oversight of the CMHS BG. The evaluation provides a unique opportunity to obtain a deeper understanding of Federal, State, provider, and consumer perceptions of the CMHS BG program and highlights the Federal-State partnership in addressing mental health needs.