Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

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The Center for Mental Health Services' (CMHS) Consumer Affairs activities are located in the Consumer Affairs Program in the Office of the Director at CMHS. The following are current consumer affairs activities:

• CMHS National Advisory Committee's Subcommittee on Consumer/Survivor:
  • Members of the CMHS National Advisory Council Subcommittee on Consumer/Survivor Issues
  • Meeting Summaries
  • Matrix of Subcommittee Recommendations
  • Subcommittee on Consumer/Survivor Issues Briefing Report - 9/5/02
  • Subcommittee Definition of Consumer Driven Care (DOC)
• Discrimination and Stigma
  The Resource Center to Address Discrimination and Stigma (ADS Center) will assist individuals and public and private organizations in the design, implementation, and operation of programs and campaigns to reduce discrimination and stigma associated with mental illnesses.
• Participatory Dialogues (PDF)
  This is a Guide to Organizing Interactive Discussions on Mental Health Issues among Consumers, Providers, and Family Members. This manual, developed by mental health consumers, is designed to stimulate and promote dialogue among States, local communities, providers, managed care organizations, advocates, family members, and consumers.
• President's New Freedom Initiative
  • Preliminary Report of Federal Agencies to Eliminate Barriers and Promote Community Integration
• Veteran's Mental Health:
  • Homelessness Among Veterans
  • National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
  • Veterans' Administration Facilities Locator
• Community and Faith-based Initiatives
  The work of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), serves as a model of how effective partnerships can be forged between Federal programs and faith- based and community organizations to benefit people with or at risk for mental and substance abuse disorders.
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Consumer Education
  Congress passed the Administrative Simplification provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the nation's health care system.