Adult Mental Health

Children's Mental Health

Based on information provided by focus group participants, several characteristics were identified as important elements of any recommendations as a result of this report. The community emphasized that wellness and prevention programs and projects should be comprehensive and address the root causes of illness, injury, and unhealthy lifestyles. The activities should address issues such as tobacco use, diet and activity patterns, alcohol and substances abuse, and sexual behaviors. Focus group participants also felt that it is imperative that services be made available to everyone regardless of their ability to pay. In addition, community members accentuated the importance of tailoring prevention and wellness measures to specific targeted populations and delivering services in the neighborhoods where risky behaviors occur. They also emphasized that the targeted neighborhoods must have voice in the development and implementation of prevention and wellness events. They suggested that public and private agencies work with communities to help them identify their assets and build processes from within, emphasizing the positive benefits of wellness and prevention rather than the consequences of not having these services.

Specific recommendations are centered on the development of a Community Wellness and Prevention Consortium which is a partnership of public health agencies, schools, businesses, community-based organizations, neighborhood associations, and faith-based organizations to jointly engage in creative and efficient wellness promotion, disease and injury prevention, and marketing of healthy lifestyles. The consortium will promote partnerships between member groups, enhancing their capabilities beyond the resources and capacity of any one member. The objectives of the consortium will include, but are not limited to:

• Encourage collaborations between consortium members;
• Advocate for wellness and prevention programs and resources;
• Plan strategies for wellness and prevention activities;
• Developing standardized wellness and prevention messages; and
• Coordinate wellness and prevention assessments within targeted neighborhoods.

The Consortium would prioritize the promotion and coordination of specific strategies previously identified as sound practices, such as:

• Wellness programs in businesses and schools;
• Physical activity programs;
• Smoking cessation programs
• Healthy nutrition programs.

The Consortium would coordinate and conduct health and wellness surveys to supplement the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) surveys conducted at the State and national level. These surveys are valuable tools for obtaining specific data on selected populations. These surveys will require specific resources for designing survey instruments, conducting surveys, and analyzing and reporting data collected.

As a companion to the Integrated Care Collaboration the consortium would work to improve accessibility to wellness and health services for the residents of the Austin Metropolitan Area. Member organizations would be asked to provide in-kind support resources.

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Adult Mental Health

• Implement best practice models in the community: Develop new and evaluate existing adult mental health programs, services, or processes with available research and expert opinion to determine effective models. Implement systems of accountability with uniform outcome measures across providers to identify trends, efficiencies and effective use of resources thereby ensuring community investments are used most wisely.
• Improve consistency, availability and quality of data within the community: Coordinate with consumers of mental health services, local mental health organizations, advocates, funders, and community leaders to identify and select Travis County mental health indicators that can be tracked and analyzed to evaluate the mental health of the community and make improved planning decisions.

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Children's Mental Health

• Track cases referred by the Juvenile Probation Department to mental health providers to determine the amount of time it takes to access care and any issues preventing juveniles from receiving services. Track the number of juveniles unable to receive care from community-based providers and determine the resulting cost involved in juvenile justice having to purchase the services. Increase number of providers utilizing the strength-based family-driven model of care.
• Train providers on the strength-based, family-driven approach to care. Promote the idea of families as partners in the care of their children and that they are given voice and choice of providers and services.
• Involve families of children with mental health needs at all levels of the community system of care: policy, practice and service delivery. Promote active advocacy from families of children with mental health needs.
• Collaborate with all entities serving children to develop a plan for diverting funding of mental health services from program/agency-based to community-based practices. Encourage the collaboration between mental health providers and childcare providers to ensure children with mental health needs receive adequate support through early childhood. Ensure family voice and choice in services, funding and policy.
• Enable funders of mental health services to require providers make services available to juveniles with mental health needs by broadening the criteria for eligibility into services. Ensure provider services are accessible, available and appropriate for juveniles with mental health needs and their families.

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