North Dakota Mental Health Planning Council (NDMHPC)

»NDMHPC Home Page

Transformation Activities

The N.D. Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services is leading the community-based public mental health system and its partners in implementing various mental health transformation activities. These include:

• Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment pilot program at Southeast Human Service Center in Fargo;
• Statewide Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) training;
• Statewide Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS) training;
• Mental Health Recovery including recovery focused training efforts statewide with focus on peer support, self-direction, individualized care, empowerment, and hope for recovery;
• Collaboration with the University System concerning Science to Services;
• Implementation of the Mental Health Consumer and Family Network providing training and support to consumers to enhance their involvement in policy development, education, and recovery promotion efforts;
• Mental Health and Aging Education initiative;
• Early Childhood Screening Collaborative;
• Planning for SAMHSA's model of Supported Employment to be piloted;
• Workforce Development in conjunction with Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education, Enhanced consumer satisfaction survey process at regional human service centers;
• Youth advisory board for youth inclusion in policy discussion concerning youth services;
• Partnering with the Corrections and Judiciary systems; and
• Development of a Prevention Framework

The Council's current strategic plan is based on a federal report published in July 2003. Titled Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America, the publication was written by the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. The Commission was charged with studying the mental health service delivery system and making recommendations that would enable adults with serious mental illnesses and children with serious emotional disturbance to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities.

The New Freedom Commission on Mental Health's study resulted in six goals:

1. Americans understand that mental health is essential to overall health;
2. Mental health care is consumer and family driven;
3. Disparities in mental health services are eliminated;
4. Early mental health screening, assessment, and referral to services are common practice;
5. Excellent mental health care is delivered and research is accelerated;
6. Technology is used to access mental health care and information.

The North Dakota Mental Health Planning Council authored three white papers to share their position and philosophy regarding three of the New Freedom Commission Goals.

 

 Top of page    Back to previous page