Office of transformation
Introduction
The Office of Transformation in the Missouri Department of Mental Health was established to address concerns regarding the state's mental health service delivery system. President George Bush’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health final report, issued in July 2002, identified weaknesses at the state and federal levels in mental health care, reporting on a system that is “broken and fragmented.”
Missouri's mental health system currently is based on a model that treats disabilities without much focus on prevention, early intervention, public education, and in general, promoting good mental health. Mental Health Transformation is about moving the system from one driven by disability to one based on public health principles.
The state of Missouri was awarded a Mental Health Transformation Grant by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for five years, effective October 2006. The grant, which could total $14 million over the five years, will help support building an infrastructure required for transformation, such as planning, workforce development, evidence-based practice implementation, and technology enhancements. The primary focus of the first year is the development of a Comprehensive State Mental Health Plan by the Transformation Leadership Workgroup.
The Transformation Leadership Working Group
This workgroup, established by Governor Matt Blunt through Executive Order 06-39, includes senior leaders from the departments of Mental Health, Social Services, Health and Senior Services, Corrections, Public Safety, and Elementary and Secondary Education, along with mental health consumers, family members, and other stakeholders. Gov. Blunt named Diane McFarland, former director of the Division of Comprehensive Psychiatric Services in the Department of Mental Health, to serve as workgroup chair. The group's actions will be guided by its Initial Work Plan, which outlines its organizational structure and role, as well as its purpose and vision.
Governor Matt Blunt's Transformation Letter (pdf)
New Freedom Commission on Mental Health
