Frequently Asked Questions

During fiscal year 2005 Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA provided 18.8 million for 7 cooperative agreements for Mental Health Transformations State Incentive Grants to support infrastructure and service delivery improvement activities. These grants are a direct result of the nation moving towards a recovery oriented, consumer and family driven mental health system as illustrated by the President’s New Freedom Commission.

In year two, the Mental Health Transformation Project will execute contracts with a variety of entities to fulfill a number of requirements outlined in our Comprehensive Mental Health Plan and in the original grant proposal. Specifically, contracts will be developed to meet evaluation and GPRA reporting requirements; statewide data infrastructure needs, social marketing and anti-stigma efforts, the development and/or strengthening of statewide adult and family networks, training for both state agency staff and consumers, and continued support of ongoing TWG, task groups, and advisory committees established in year one. View Continuation Budget [ 29KB].

President George W. Bush established the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health in April 2002 as part of his commitment to eliminate inequality for Americans with disabilities. The President directed the Commission to identify policies that could be implemented by federal, state and local governments to maximize existing resources, improve coordination of treatments and services, and promote successful community integration for adults with a serious mental illness and children with a serious emotional disturbance.

SAMHSA is the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration. SAMHSA's vision is a life in the community for everyone; its mission is to build resilience and facilitate recovery for people with or at risk for substance abuse and mental illness.

Eight other states received grants. They are Connecticut, Maryland, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma, Hawaii and Missouri

The Transformation Project defines the mental health system as all those services, both public and private, that provide care to Washington residents. This includes publicly funded services delivered by such agencies as the Department of Social & Health Services (DSHS), the Department of Corrections (DOC), the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and others.

Transformation implies profound changes in organizational policies, practices, and funding. Transformation requires equally momentous shifts in attitudes, beliefs, and values about mental health. Read more on Transformation.

The Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines resiliency as "Manifested competence in the context of significant challenges to adaptation or development."

The National Consensus Statement defines recovery as "Mental health recovery is a journey of healing and transformation enabling a person with a mental health problem to live a meaningful life in a community of his or her choice while striving to achieve his or her full potential."

"Consumer" means a person who has applied for, is eligible for or who has received mental health services. For a child, under the age of thirteen, or for a child age thirteen or older whose parents or legal guardians are involved in the treatment plan, the definition of consumer includes parents or legal guardians.

The Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines consumer-driven as - Consumer-driven means consumers have the primary decision-making role regarding the mental health and related care that is offered and the care received. In addition, the consumer voice is paramount in determining all aspects of care for consumers in the community, state, and nation. The consumer voice must be present and fully represented both collectively and individually with regard to all aspects of service delivery from planning to implementation to evaluation to research to defining and determining outcomes. This includes, but is not limited to the policies and procedures governing systems of care, choosing supports, services, and providers; setting goals; designing and implementing programs; monitoring outcomes; and determining the effectiveness of all efforts to promote mental health and wellness.

The TWG is a governor-elected decision making board comprised of youth, adult, family and older adult consumers of mental health services and heads of several departments and administrations with direct links to the Transformation process. The TWG is developing a shared understanding and a common agenda for transforming Washington’s mental health system that is focused on the six Presidents New Freedom Commission goals.

The Plan was created in partnership between consumers and professionals will serve as the blueprint for the Transformation process. The corner stones of this planning process include: a commitment to outcomes, a commitment to wellness and recovery, a commitment to inclusion, a commitment to collaboration and partnership and a commitment to ongoing learning and innovation. The CMHP was the working title while in draft form. View the completed Plan.

Yes. Youth, adult, older adult and family consumers have been involved in the Transformation process since before the grant was awarded in October, 2005. Consumers helped write the grant initiative, will help implement the grant goals and will be instrumental in sustaining and continuing the Transformation process.

No. The mental health transformation grant funding provides for planning and implementation of system level change. Funding includes capacity to conduct the process and assure implementation. Additionally, the grant requires evaluation activities to support transformation.

Evidence Based Practices are those clinical and administrative practices that have been proven to consistently produce specific intended results. While there are many Evidence Based Practices, the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration has created tool kits for five of them most widely used and accepted:

• Illness management and recovery
• Assertive Community Treatment
• Family Psychoeducation
• Supported Employment
• Co-occurring Disorders: Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Government Results and Performance Act of 1993 - GPRA is an essential component of evaluation for Federal grant programs. All Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants collect and report performance data.

In addition to the Government Results and Performance Act (GPRA) measures, the Request Funding for Application (RFA) specifies that improvements in state performance on the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) NOMS will be expected as a long-term result of the grant program. The NOMS are:

1. Decreased mental illness symptomatology/increased level of functioning
2. Increased or retained employment and school enrollment/school attendance
3. Decreased involvement with the criminal justice system
4. Increased stability in family and living conditions
5. Increased access to services/number of persons served by age, gender, race and ethnicity
6. Decreased utilization of psychiatric inpatient beds/readmission to a State psychiatric hospital at 30 and 180 days
7. Increased social support/social connectedness
8. Increased positive reporting by clients about outcomes
9. Increased cost effectiveness
10. Increased use of evidence-based practices

The Mental Health Transformation Project (MHTP) recommendations will include changes that will improve the way services are delivered; not all will require additional funding. Recommendations for new funding, if required to improve the system, will be included. The Legislature makes funding decisions, so the MHTP will not guarantee more funding. An improved service system can potentially reduce the unmet need.

Yes. The Transformation Project partners with over a hundred organizations, agencies and consumers in its effort to create and sustain a consumer driven mental health system.