Mission / Vision

Mission

The California Council of Community Mental Health Agencies (CCCMHA) promotes comprehensive, responsive, and integrated service systems by enhancing the ability of nonprofit member agencies to provide mental health services that empower the people we serve to lead full and productive lives.

We achieve this purpose through:

• shaping and leading public policy,
• advocating for needed legislation and funding,
• creating a forum for the exchange of information and expertise, and
• working with al relevant stakeholder

Vision

A.  Children’s Policy Activities

1. Regarding children’s system of care, the Mental Health Services Act requires outcomes to reduce out of home placements, juvenile justice recidivism, juvenile justice placements and academic performance.  There is considerable work needing to be done to develop appropriate ways of measuring how successful each children’s program is relative to the funds provided to it and the potential success with those being served.  Community mental health agencies must develop recommendations, as well as participating in state and county committees to develop outcome measures. 
2. Implement the Mental Health Services Act in which all stakeholders have an opportunity to participate in every state and county work group.
3. Ensure community agencies continue to be reimbursed for AB 3632 services.
4. Vigilantly protect current entitlements, including collaborating with other groups as appropriate; Support appropriate continued expansion and entitlement for EPSDT services; Incorporate evidence of best practices and outcomes.  Monitor audits and Legislative Analyst proposals.
5. Work to expand all services.
6. Protect existing entitlements for children.
7. Support Proposition 10 state funding and expansion of services to children ages 0-6 and the development of programs for early identification and intervention of mental health problems/linkages with primary care/transition age youth/school-based services for high school students/parents of young children.
8. Advocate for DMH to collect and disseminate AB34-like data on children’s mental health services. Compile existing research and information on best practices.
9. Continue state and federal efforts to expand the authority and opportunities to utilize wrap-around services. Advocate for elimination of waiver requirement.
10. Work to develop a champion for children’s mental health services who will advocate for it as strongly as Darrell Steinberg has advocated for adults services and as strongly as former Senator Cathie Wright advocated for children’s services.
11. Support, continued utilization and expansion of CalWorks mental health services.
12. Continue efforts regarding expansion of human resources and recruitment of necessary agency staff, particularly multi-lingual/multi-cultural social workers, nurses and psychiatrists.

B.   Adult and Older Adult Policy Activities

1. Ensure that all Mental Health Services Act funded services to adults and older adults with severe mental illness are in accordance with the AB 34 adult system of care and follow the rigorous requirements of that program.
2. Protect existing funding against cuts in state budget.
3. Work to improve availability of SSI/Medi-Cal benefits for mentally ill adults and protect existing state supplemental payments.
4. Develop strategies for ways to expand and improve funding, including funding for older adults.  
5. Develop programs for early identification and intervention of mental health problems, including transition age youth.
6. Advocate for increased funding for substance abuse services and dual diagnosis funding.
7. Continue to find additional champions for adult mental health services in the Legislature in anticipation of term limits forcing Darrell Steinberg out of the Assembly in 2004.
8. Continue efforts regarding expansion of human resources and recruitment of necessary agency staff, particularly multi-lingual/multi-cultural social workers, nurses and psychiatrists.
9. Support, continued utilization and expansion of CalWorks mental health services.
10.  Monitor the implementation of AB 1421 (assisted outpatient commitment law) and the lawsuit challenging L.A. County’s implementation.

C.  Administration and payment of funds issues

1. Continue to work with County Mental Health Directors on issues associated with contracting for services.
2. Support agencies’ efforts to improve state reimbursement rates, timing and method of payments.
3. Work to remove disparity in pay for similar positions between counties and community agencies.

D.  Training

1. Provide three days of CEO training in conjunction with each of the three CCCMHA meetings and provide regular updates on key issues.
2. Survey membership annually regarding conference topics, additional training priorities and conduct special training conferences as requested by sufficient numbers of members.

E.   Membership Activities

1. Publish newsletter four times a year and provide regular updates on key issues.
2. Offer and promote group worker’s compensation program.
3. Offer and promote unemployment insurance program.
4. Annually survey members on additional membership service interests.
5. Overhead website to be user-friendly, provide information and links of interest to current members and attract new members. The purpose of the website will be to serve and attract members. Membership chair will work with staff to incorporate input for improvements.
6. Monitor state-of-the-art developments in mental health services across the nation and provide members with information on new programs and innovations to consider.
7. Provide services and support to maintain and increase membership.

F. Relationships

1. Continue to establish positive working relationships with leading members of Governor Schwarzenegger’s Administration and Steve Mayberg, Director of the Department of Mental Health. 
2. Facilitate active participation in CCCMHA activities among board members and general membership.
3. Participate in coalitions with other mental health organizations and develop coalitions with addiction treatment organizations.
4. Develop strategies for more active participation and more formal partnerships between CCCMHA and other mental health and addiction treatment organizations.
5. Participate in statewide State Department and County Mental Health Director committees on outcomes, best practices and quality improvement.
6. Monitor California Mental Health Planning Council activities and ensure coordination with CCCMHA representatives.
7. Participate in County Mental Health Directors children’s, adults, transition youth and older adults system of care committees and monitor these activities communicating with members and ensuring that CCCMHA member input is reflected in decisions.
8. Participate in planning committees for CMHDA adult partnership conference, the California Mental Health Advocates for Children and Youth, Asilomar conference and California Coalition for Mental Health, Mental Health Advocacy Day. Seek to have a CCCMHA member included on the CIMH Board and all committees that exhibit relevant training.
9. Collaborate with the Mental Health Association in California.
10. Increase and improve member agency relationships with state and federal legislators.

G. Organization Activities

1. Continue strategic planning process for the board and membership annually in October.
2. Retain organizational consultant and develop recommendations on best way to structure CCCMHA seminars.
3. Provide a monthly policy memo to members and a monthly public policy conference call.
4. Offer county or regional meetings for CCCMHA staff to meet with members.
5. Provide 3 Board of Directors meetings a year in addition to the current 3 times a year full council meetings.
6. Conduct Executive Committee conference calls or meetings in months the board does not meet.
7. Invest CCCMHA reserve funds.