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A Vision For A New
System of Services

ENVISION THE POSSIBILITIES

The Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services has been working with its partners statewide to update its vision for the Commonwealth’s system of services. The result is a collaborative vision that embraces self-determination, empowerment and recovery as the core of its foundation. We invite you to Envision the Possibilities.

Our vision is of a consumer-driven system of services and supports that promotes self-determination, empowerment, recovery, resilience, health, and the highest possible level of consumer participation in all aspects of community life including work, school, family and other meaningful relationships. The eight foundations of this vision include the following:

SELF-DETERMINATION, EMPOWERMENT, AND RECOVERY

• Consumers express pride in their accomplishments and hope for their futures.

• Consumers are empowered and supported in defining and reaching their own goals and making decisions about their lives and the services they receive. Providers work to expand community service options that emphasize community integration and independent living.

ACCOUNTABILITY

• Policy-makers and providers at the state and local levels meet the highest standards of accountability, with performance monitored with stakeholders through an open process.

• Consumer outcomes are measured and monitored to assure that services are effective.

• Systems of accountability will encourage and not discourage organizational learning and systems improvement.

ACCESS

• Services are consumer and family centered —

  1. Ability to pay is not an obstacle;

  2. Services are easy to navigate;

  3. Consumers and families receive clear information about service options;

  4. Consumers receive services and supports quickly and easily when needed;

  5. Language and cultural differences are respected and appropriately addressed;

  6. Services are provided in consumers’ home communities as close to family and friends as possible; and

  7. Services are designed to be flexible

• A full range of services and supports is available, with choices for consumers and families.

• Providers and policy-makers overcome fragmentation and barriers that limit access to health, education, employment, housing, and other community services and supports.

QUALITY OF SERVICES

• System improvement is ongoing, with stakeholder involvement and feedback mechanisms about consumer and other outcomes built into the system of care.

• Services and supports are highly individualized to each consumer.

• Evidence-based and best practices are expected and required, with incentives and support for providers to learn and use these practices.

• Personal privacy and consumer information is respected.

• Effective services and management, innovation, and efficient use of resources are rewarded.

PARTNERSHIPS

• Consumers, families, and providers are partners in treatment.

• Leadership at all levels works collaboratively with stakeholders through a partnership process
  where operations, policy, and funding matters and issues are addressed.

• State and local governments work with public and private providers to make services available in settings that are the most appropriate to the needs of individual consumers.

• The academic community partners with public and private providers to ensure clinicians and direct care staff are skilled in evidence-based and best practices.

• Stakeholders have a variety of opportunities for involvement, input, and consensus building.

COORDINATION

• CSBs are the local points of accountability for the coordination of publicly funded mental health, mental retardation, and substance abuse services.

• Regional structures collaboratively manage service utilization across the region and provide services that are beyond the capacity of a single CSB.

• Providers, consumers, and family members communicate to coordinate care at both the individual and system levels.

FUNDING

• The services system will be appropriately funded to ensure sufficient capacity to address consumer needs.

• As services are developed in the community, the state share of services funding is maintained and increased to meet growing consumer needs and provide evidence-based and best practices.

• The state takes full advantage of federal sources of funding.

• Consumer needs drive policies that govern eligibility for and use of state and federal funds.

EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCES

• Consumers receive the level of service they need, when they need it, in the appropriate amount, and for the appropriate duration.
• Policies and practices at all levels support the most efficient use of resources.
•  Preventive and early interventions are encouraged and supported.

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