What Might a Transformed
Public Mental Health System Look Like?

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This booklet has been assembled based on information in the Final Report of President Bush’s New Freedom Commission,
as well as the input of numerous individuals and stakeholders.

It is a working document, and I welcome your input and vision for what a transformed public mental health system will look like.

Please feel free to send your suggestions to: Commissioner’s Office, NYS OMH, 44 Holland Avenue, Albany NY 12229
or email them to transformation@omh.state.ny.us.

Thank you.

Sharon E. Carpinello, RN, PhD
Commissioner, New York State Office of Mental Health

A Transformed Mental Health System would actively combat societal stigma, value quality, embrace the use of information for continuous improvement, measure success using client-specific recovery outcomes, develop organizational structures to support the delivery of evidenced-based practices by a competent staff, offer science-based practices in combination, based on individual need to produce the best results. This vision would also stress adequate housing, employment and social integration. In other words:

• A transformed system will aggressively work to eliminate stigma
  associated with mental illness.
• In a transformed system, people will seek mental health care when they need it.
• A transformed system ensures that services and supports actively facilitate recovery and build resilience to face life’s
  challenges.
• In a transformed system, a diagnosis of serious mental illness or serious emotional disturbance will trigger a well-planned,
  coordinated array of services and treatments.
• All components of a transformed system will have a cultural understanding of the individuals being served.
• A transformed system is defined by respect, compassion and a collaborative partnership with the people it serves.
• In a transformed system, everyone gets the best available services and outcomes, regardless of race, gender, culture or
  geographic location.
• A transformed system will provide effective treatments and services that are easy to navigate and that use flexible funding
  streams.
• A transformed system will require an integrated technology and communications infrastructure.
• A transformed system will address the various characteristics and unique needs inherent to a community or locality.
• A transformed system provides treatment and services that work and result in recovery.
• In a transformed system, housing will not be a struggle for consumers to obtain; integrated systems would collaborate to
  develop housing and share information as to what is available.
• In a transformed system, skilled employment will be a reality.
• In a transformed system, wellness will be a focus in a larger sense.
• In a transformed system, data needs and resources line up to be helpful in planning for services and for informing people
  across systems.
• A transformed system would enable typical environments like schools and pediatrician offices to have the capacity for early identification of serious emotional disturbance in children, thus minimizing the consequences of delayed treatment.
• A transformed system will provide interventions that promote and enhance personal strengths and help children achieve
  developmental milestones.
• A transformed system will work aggressively to build working alliances through the child serving community, including youth and families, mental health, school systems, healthcare, juvenile justice, economic justice and foster care systems.
• In a transformed system, treatment planning will incorporate real community support systems for each family based upon
  existing family resources and needs