Recorded presentation

Crystal R. Blyler, PhD, Elizabeth C. McDonel Herr, PhD, Paolo Del Vecchio, and Neal Brown, MPA. SAMHSA Center for Mental Health Services, 1 Choke Cherry Lane, Room 6-1009, Rockville, MD 20857, (240) 276-1910, crystal.blyler@samhsa.hhs.gov

The Consumer-Operated Services Program (COSP) is a groundbreaking multisite evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of mental health services run by and for people with serious mental illnesses. The SAMHSA Center for Mental Health Services initiated the COSP grant program in 1999 as a natural outgrowth of two decades of collaborative systems improvement efforts between the Federal government and mental health consumers. The Federal representatives involved in COSP will describe the history of the development of this initiative, outlining and describing the rationale for critical features of the original grant announcement that shaped the program. Such features include use of a randomized multisite design; examination of consumer-operated services as an adjunct, rather than an alternative, to traditional mental health services; the definition of consumer-operated services; creation of a structure to balance the input of consumers and researchers in designing the research; the targeting of the specific outcome domains of empowerment, housing, employment, social inclusion, and satisfaction with services; inclusion of a cost-benefit analysis to be conducted by a Coordinating Center; a requirement for sites to develop program manuals; and an emphasis on disseminating the results of the evaluation through a variety of meetings and writing activities directed toward multiple stakeholder groups. The role of consumers in conceptualizing the mandatory features of the grant announcement will be described. The role of COSP in contributing to and the capacity it has created for building upon the recommendations of the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health will be discussed.

Learning Objectives: After this presentation, the participant will be able to

• Describe the history of collaboration between the Federal government and mental health service consumers, culminating in the development of the SAMHSA Consumer-Operated Services Program Multisite Research Initiative.
• Identify critical issues to consider in designing evaluations of consumer-run programs.
• Recognize the role consumer-run programs will play in transforming the mental health system, according to the President's New Freedom Commission.

Keywords: Consumer Direction, Mental Health System

Related Web page: www.samhsa.gov

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.

Recorded presentation