The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #72685

Susan E. Caverly, PhD, ARNP, Psychosocial and Community Health Nursing, University of Washington, Box # 357263, Seattle, WA 98195-7263, 206-369-3068, scaverly@u.washington.edu

Community perception of services for persons with co-occurring mental illness and chemical dependency

Persons suffering from co-occurring mental illness and chemical dependency commonly require services from multiple systems, have difficulty accessing services, and often slip through cracks in the mental health or chemical dependency service systems. As a result, these individuals present in settings that are not always prepared or funded to meet their needs. The shelter system, the justice system, the health system, and even the school system can be in the position of finding or providing emergency/intermittent (but not adequate or problem specific) care. Consumers and advocates as well as those working in the noted systems rarely have the opportunity to express opinion or to make recommendations about the strengths and weakness of the services available to this population.

Focus groups conducted with stakeholders from the justice system, the health and shelter system, children’s service providers, as well as consumers and advocates provided an opportunity for these constituencies to participate in discourse about currently available, unavailable and needed services. Those who participated in the focus groups expressed appreciation for the opportunity to provide information that might improve the services and possibly enhance the collaboration and co-ordination of services that are available.

This presentation of qualitative data includes quotations from focus group participants and provides information that has potential to be used for improving the services designated for persons with co-occurring mental health and chemical dependency disorders.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, the participant (learner) will be able to:
• Discuss issues important to community stakeholders with regard to services available or needed by persons with co-occurring mental illness and chemical dependency.
• Describe the range of community services utilized by persons with co-occurring mental illness and chemical dependency.
• Describe one method for accessing stakeholder feedback about co-ordination of services.
• Identify opportunities for diminishing medical cost offset due to lack of coordination/collaboration of services needed by persons with co-occurring mental illness and chemical dependency.

Keywords: Community Collaboration, Mental Health Services

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.