Transformation of the current system to a more Consumer Operated system. This system would provide opportunities for consumers to be more active in the actual service delivery especially the delivery of case management services. Many consumers are very knoweldgeable of community resources and providing linkage and assistance from other consumers to access these resources would be very empowering.

The expertise and knowledge developed at the local, State, and Federal level over 17 years of systems of care for children's mental health about systems integration and reform should be used to inform the integration of mental and physical health and healthcare reform. System of care grantee staff and the collective knowledge of all of the supports to this program could dramatically reduce the level of effort required to implement health reform. These experts know how to do it!

ANY emphasis on Aging or Elder Adults!

Many older adults are not well-served by community mental health because Medicare is so restrictive egarding whoit will compensate for providing services and they do not qualify for Medicaid. Most agencies cannot afford the model Medicare supports and so do not reach out to this very under-served population. SAMHSA should work with its partners at CMS and provide technical assistance to community mental health providers. This would be a game-changer in terms of the number of older adults accessing services.

The SAMHSA website reinforces the biopsychiatric belief system by stating that serious mental disorders are caused by chemical imbalances and brain disorders. There is not sufficient scientific evidence to support that statement and it is not true and is a horrible message to give people.

Educate the public in lay terms what rights they have to access and parity for utilizing their benefits. Proactively enforce the Mental Health Parity Act to reinforce access and use of treatment.

Assisted Outpatient Treatment has been shown to reduce homelessness, incarceration, violence to self and violence to others.

Continue to prioritize treatment. Prevention isn't going to solve all the problems is we can't have treatment on demand for those who need it.