INNOVATION INFORMATION
Mental Health Services Act (MHSA)
County of San Bernardino
Background:
The MHSA is less specific in its directives for this component than for other
components, forming an environment for the development of creative and exciting new
practices/approaches in the field of mental health. Programs developed within the
INNOVATION
Component
include novel, creative, ingenious mental health approaches that are expected to
contribute to learning. They are developed within communities through a Community Program
Planning process that is inclusive and representative, especially of unserved, underserved and
inappropriately served individuals. Innovation programs have the ability to transform creative
ideas in to practical solutions and applications.
Community Program Planning
will:
o
Build upon previous stakeholder input
o
Engage leadership and representatives of the community potentially impacted by
proposed Innovation projects.
o
Encourage culturally, linguistically competent outreach/accessibility for the inclusion of
diverse stakeholders (current/potential clients, families, caregivers; individuals who are
unserved/underserved by the mental health system; service providers and representatives
of unserved communities).
o
Conduct stakeholder input/planning activities using convenient settings and strategies.
o
Incorporate community strengths in solutions to identified challenges.
o
Conduct a community input and planning process that is inclusive, fair, respectful and
effective.
Essential Purposes
The MHSA specifies that funds for Innovative Programs are to be used to accomplish at least one
of the following purposes:
o
Increase access to underserved groups.
o
Increase the quality of services, including better MHSA-informed outcomes.
o
Promote interagency and community collaboration.
o
Increase access to services.
Focus
The focus of Innovation programs is to contribute to learning, rather than providing a service, and
can:
o
Introduce a new mental health practice.
o
Make substantial change of an existing mental health practice.
o
Introduce new application to mental health system of a promising community approach.
Note: An Innovation project may include a Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) strategy, but the strategy would
have to be distinct from the PEI component of the MHSA.
County of San Bernardino Department of Behavioral Health
Mental Health Services Act Innovation (INN) Plan
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