Welcoming/Opening Remarks by
A. Kathryn Power, M.Ed.
Director
Center for Mental Health Services
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
SAMHSA/Center for Mental Health Services, Center for Substance
Abuse Prevention, and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
SECOND NATIONAL POLICY ACADEMY ON CO-OCCURRING
SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND MENTAL DISORDERS
Washington, DC
January 11, 2005
Attached is the text prepared for delivery; however, some material may have
been added or omitted at the time of delivery.
On behalf of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), I welcome you to our second policy academy on co-occurring disorders. We held the first academy last April and it was a huge success. Those States that attended have reported great progress in carrying out the action steps they developed to create better systems of care for co-occurring disorders. To start us off, I’d like to tell you about one State, in particular, that really made the most out of what it learned from the first academy.
The Arizona delegation, just like those from other States, grappled with the many complex problems surrounding effective treatment and prevention of co-occurring disorders. They worked on their vision, they worked on their strategies, they looked ahead to what they reasonably could accomplish with the resources available to them. And then they did something more. They took what they had learned about effective, collaborative efforts and put together a winning application for a State Incentive Grant for Co-occurring Disorders, also known as a COSIG. Arizona is now the proud recipient of a million-dollar COSIG grant to help achieve its State vision.
The point of my story isn’t that the policy academy can lead to additional Federal funding. In fact, four other States here already are recipients of COSIG grants awarded this year. My point is that the policy academy can be an incredible starting point for setting and achieving high goals that surpass your initial expectations. You already have completed your SWOT analyses. You know your strengths and your weaknesses, your opportunities for progress and potential threats to change. The policy academy is your chance to use this information. Create an action plan that builds on your strengths and opportunities and helps you overcome weaknesses and threats.
In preparing for today’s meeting, I looked at the names of participants and presenters. A truly impressive level and amount of expertise is available to you. You will be hearing from fantastic speakers who will share examples of what works in treating co-occurring disorders. You also will have the opportunity to learn from each other. Talk with teams from other States. Some of the most innovative strategies here may be theirs—or yours.
In addition, make full use of the resources and technical assistance provided by the National Co-occurring Disorders Prevention and Treatment Cross-Training Center for Excellence, or COCE. Co-occurring disorders are the most complex illnesses faced by our mental and substance use systems. Take advantage of every resource offered so that your can develop the most effective ways to serve the needs of individuals with co-occurring disorders in your State.
We have listed the objectives for this meeting at the beginning of your agenda. The first two objectives are to improve access to appropriate services and to develop strong partnerships among stakeholders. Use these objectives to guide you in creating specific action steps. Both objectives can be met best through a public health approach to co-occurring disorders.
The public health model differs from a traditional medical approach. It does not focus solely on treating sick individuals. Instead, the public health model focuses on protecting the health of individuals by promoting and protecting the health of an entire community. Thus, this model advocates a continuum of services that can help prevent an illness before it occurs. This continuum includes more than promotion of health and prevention of illness. It also includes early intervention, treatment, and recovery services, which help to reduce or eliminate the spread of illness and its consequences.
Think about how the public health model applies to the prevention and treatment of co-occurring disorders. Nationwide, about 4 million Americans have a serious mental illness as well as a substance use disorder. This is a staggering number of individuals who need integrated treatment. This number, however, pales in comparison to the number of individuals who already have one disorder and may be at risk of developing the other. More than 15 million Americans have a serious mental illness; an equal number have a substance use problem. That adds up to more than 30 million vulnerable members of our families and our communities whom we must protect against dual disorders.
Within our communities, there are special populations at greater risk and who have a greater and more immediate need for services. Individuals who are homeless or incarcerated, or those who are being released from institutions back into our communities—these are the people we should organize our services around. Their illnesses present the greatest burden of cost to our communities and the greatest threat to our public health. About 50 percent of homeless adults with serious mental illnesses have a substance use disorder. How can we reach them? About 70 percent of incarcerated persons who have a serious mental illness also have a substance use disorder. How can we ensure that they receive the services they need? What can we do to better serve racial and cultural minorities who already are underserved by our mental and substance use systems?
Our ultimate objective for this meeting is to create systems of care that focus on recovery. Recovery refers to the process by which people are able to live, work, learn, and participate fully in the community. A recovery-focused system, similar to the public health model, implies a continuum of services. For example, I just mentioned the extremely high percentage of persons in the criminal justice system with co-occurring disorders. In creating your action plans, answer this question: What kinds of services will these individuals need after they are released back into your communities?
A person has a real promise of a better life when he or she re-enters a community with a job, a home, and a continuity of services that can sustain recovery. Recovery should be the expected outcome of services. What kinds of services must your State offer—and what kinds of partnerships must your State develop—to make this expectation a reality?
I want to emphasize that all three centers within SAMHSA contributed funding to make this policy academy possible. We hope that our collaboration becomes a model for the partnerships you develop at the State and community levels. Integrated services offer the greatest hope of recovery to those with co-occurring disorders. The more bridges you build between mental health and substance use stakeholders, the more opportunities individuals will have to seek and find recovery.
I’ll leave you with just one more thought. The action plans you are developing will revolve around the needs and priorities of your individual States. But remember that the progress you make will have national implications. Your progress in creating better systems of care for co-occurring disorders can ripple outward until it transforms mental health and substance abuse systems across our Nation—until it transforms the lives and futures of millions of Americans. On behalf of all three centers within SAMHSA, I wish you the greatest success in achieving the objectives for this meeting. Together, we can develop the most effective methods to treat and prevent co-occurring disorders. Thank you.
|
