Information Center Bulletin
Volume 1, No. 1 Winter 1996-97

New TA Center Helps States Collaborate and Improve Systems

Networking is the core mission for the National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) for State Mental Health Planning, a new venture of the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS). NTAC's goal is to help bring about much-needed, long-term improvements in public mental health service systems.

NTAC Director Bruce Emery, M.S.W., says, "We'll work to bring togetherkey players in the mental health community--consumers, family members, State planning councils, and State mental health agencies--to target critical problems and issues; to identify potential solutions; and to determine what works best for you in the context of the unique circumstances you face."

This new CMHS technical assistance center won't be able to solve the States' management and fiscal dilemmas, but it will be able to facilitate dialogue among senior managers in State mental health agencies and promote collaborative problem-solving among the States.

NTAC provides a variety of services to 55 States and Territories, such as:

• State, regional, and National consultation;
• Onsite technical assistance and training;
• Consensus development conferences and teleconferences;
• A consultant database;
• Publications and reports; and
• Development, review, and analysis of service system models.

In addition, the Information Center and NTAC are collaborating to develop a database of resource materials generated by State mental health agencies. The database will be organized by topic so the desired information will be simple and easy to access.

NTAC is the product of a cooperative agreement between the CMHS Division of State and Community Systems Development and the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors.

For more information, contact CMHS Project Officer Richard Bast at 301-443-4257, or Bruce Emery, M.S.W., at 703-739-9333.

Information Center Bulletin
Volume 1, No. 1