Co-occurring Disorders
Criminal Justice and Rights
Cultural Competence
Elderly
Rural Issues
Women's Issues
Tragically, youth with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders and their families rarely get the kind of help they need at the time they need it. Services and supports are fragmented, isolated, and rigid. These negative experiences, however, direct us to the changes that are necessary to get better outcomes.
In response to the dearth of broad-based, culturally competent care within the behavioral managed care sector, CMHS sought to develop and disseminate cultural competence standards for managed care mental health services to improve the availability of high-quality services for "four underserved/underrepresented racial/ethnic groups" - notably, African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans/Alaska Natives, and Asian/Pacific Islander Americans.
With proper treatment, older adults with disabling mental illnesses can improve their quality of life and remain productive members of the communities in which they live. Older adults are encouraged to participate in activities that challenge them both physically and mentally. New activities, hobbies, and exercise can be effective anti-depressants.
The lack of parity between urban and rural residents in accessing appropriate mental health and substance abuse services is well documented. CMHS has adopted the mission of addressing this disparity nationally and continues to develop initiatives to enhance and expand access to mental health services for rural and isolated populations.
The Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) supports programs for populations who are at-risk for mental illnesses and lack mental health services, including women. Depression is the number one cause of disability in women.