FY 2012 Community Integration (Olmstead) Performance Measure:
Working through the Division of Integrated Care, DMH will reduce the census at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital to 280 people with disabilities by placing them in “non-institutional” type settings by September 30, 2012.
FY 2012 Community Integration (Olmstead) Plan Outline: Agency Mission:
The goal of the Department Mental Health is to develop, support and oversee a comprehensive, community-based, consumer-driven, culturally competent, quality mental health system. This system should be responsive and accessible to children, youth, adults, and their families. It should leverage continuous positive change through its ability to learn and to partner. It should also ensure that mental health providers are accountable to consumers and offer services that promote recovery from mental illness.
Vision:
DMH strives to provide a dynamic, innovative, outcome-oriented mental health system for the residents of the District of Columbia. DMH wants to maximize consumer choice, offer flexible and responsive services, and partner with competent mental health providers committed to providing quality care.
Agency Future Planning:
DMH has included a level of service goal as part of its Olmstead Compliance plan. Specifically, DMH will keep the St. Elizabeths census below 280 patients. This goal reflects a shift to providing community based supports for persons with significant behavioral health concerns. DMH has also been collaborating with DHCF and advocacy organizations on strategies to transition people with mental health diagnoses from St. Elizabeths Hospital, Mental Health Community Residential Facilities and Nursing Facilities. The DMH Chief Medical Officer and a DMH nurse consultant meet with nursing homes periodically and on an as needed basis to assist with identifying and treating mental illness and transitioning mental health consumers to community-based settings.
Agency’s Population and the Definition of this Population:
There are 71 DMH monitored youth residing in Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTF’s). Additionally, there are 264 individuals residing at Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital. The average length of stay for this demographic is over 30 days.
Agency’s Identified Barriers Unique to each Population:
The Department will continue to build housing for Transition Age Youth, 18-21 years of age, which will provide services fitting their social, emotional and other needs. Medicaid is supporting some transportation needs.
Other Barrier Issues and Service Needs Unique to this Population:
DMH would like to widen its array of service providers for children and youth.
Service Needs that Challenged the Agency to Comply with the Olmstead Initiative:
In partnership with all of the child/youth serving agencies in the District, the Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF), the Managed Care Organizations (MCO’s), the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), representatives from the Deputy Mayor’s Office and youth advocates, DMH is working to develop a common set of standards for all agencies to use in making decisions regarding residential placements for children and youth.