Innovation Plan,
continued
The formal guidelines for Innovation are less prescriptive than the other MHSA
components but do contain guidance that counties must follow. Innovation projects must
contribute to learning and be developed within the community through a process that is
inclusive and representative, especially of unserved, underserved and inappropriately
served populations. The intention of this component is to implement novel, creative,
ingenious mental health approaches that are expected to contribute to learning,
transformation, and integration of the mental health system.
Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC), section 5830, provides for the use of MHSA funds
for innovative programming and states all projects included in the Innovation Program
must address at least one (1) of the following purposes:
•
Increase access to underserved groups
•
Increase the quality of services, including better outcomes
•
Promote interagency collaboration
•
Increase access to services
The Innovation component of the MHSA allows counties the broadest possible scope to
pilot new and adapted mental health approaches. WIC section 5830 provides that an
Innovation project may affect virtually any aspect of mental health practices or assess a
new or changed application of a promising approach to solving persistent, seemingly
intractable mental health challenges, including, but not limited to, any of the following:
•
Administrative, governance, and organizational practices, processes, or
procedures
•
Advocacy
•
Education and training for service providers, including nontraditional mental
health practitioners
•
Outreach, capacity building, and community development
•
System development
•
Public education efforts
•
Research
•
Services and interventions, including prevention, early intervention, and
treatment that meet Innovation criteria
County of San Bernardino Department of Behavioral Health
Mental Health Services Act Innovation (INN) Plan
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