05/19/2006: "State: Listening Session For Public Feedback"

OLYMPIA -- A new "Listening Session"on mental health issues is planned in San Juan County later this month, according to the "Partnerships for Recovery and Resiliency"project. A meeting to discuss mental health issues is planned in Friday Harbor from 2 p.m. to 4 pm. on Thursday, May 25.

The Partnerships project is a five-year statewide work group that is reviewing mental health needs and services at all levels of government in Washington State. Washington was one of seven states to receive the $2.7 million-a-year grants from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The "listening sessions" were a specific type of meeting started earlier this year as a forum for the state's Regional Support Networks and local government mental health programs, allowing them to share information with the state workgroup. Consumers, providers and stakeholders also are welcome to attend the discussions.

Partnerships Project Director Ken Stark said strong public involvement is vital to the transformation process. "We need to hear from consumers, family members, stakeholders and providers,"he said. "There is no substitute for the voices of those who have direct experience with the system and its services."
The listening session for San Juan County will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 25, at the Mullis Community Senior Center, 589 Nash St., in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.

The Listening Sessions are open to the public and intended to solicit comments on the broad spectrum of mental health services and community-level concerns. David Brenna, a Senior Policy Analyst with the Transformation Project, said the meetings help the "Partnerships"project as it looks for new ways of delivering effective mental health treatment, putting patients at the center of care, and building consumer and stakeholder feedback into the process.

After its initial months of community input and systemic review, the work group will turn to developing changes and strategies that can be presented to the Governor for implementation in coming years.
Community residents or providers interested in helping set up future community meetings should contact their Regional RSN or get in touch with Brenna in Olympia at 360-902-8456 or by e-mail at brenndc@dshs.wa.gov.
Listening session

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TRANSFORMATION GRANT PROJECT

The April issue of the Mental Health Transformation Project newsletter is now posted on the workgroup's Web page at:http://www1.dshs.wa.gov/pdf/hrsa/mh/News_04_06.pdf
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND BACKGROUND: Jim Stevenson, Communications, Health and Recovery Services Administration, DSHS, 360-902-7604