LA County Department of Mental Health Details Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Successes

LOS ANGELES, May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health presented data detailing the success of programs funded through the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) during the "Partnership for Mental Health" conference on academic-public collaborations at UCLA on May 21, 2010.  

Governor Schwarzenegger recently proposed redirecting $602 million in realignment funds for basic mental health services at a time when growing evidence demonstrates that community based programs are successful in abating homelessness, institutionalization and incarceration.   Innovative, community based services are cost-effective for taxpayers, keeping people diagnosed with mental illness out of jail and off the streets, enabling them and their families to live independent and rewarding lives.  

Dr. Marvin Southard, Director of LA County Department of Mental Health, noted during the conference last Friday that 94,324 individuals have been served by one or more MHSA programs in Los Angeles County. "MHSA has enabled us to expand full-service partnership programs, wellness centers and alternative crisis services for all age groups.  These programs demonstrate the possibility of significant savings through avoidance of more costly services, including acute psychiatric hospitalization and jail time."

Among important findings about Full-Service Programs (FSP):

• Clients in FSP programs are hospitalized in acute psychiatric settings less frequently (when compared to the previous 12 months)
• Youths, adults and older adults show reductions in the number of times jailed, as well as number of jail days compared to baseline data.
• Cost avoidance of fewer acute psychiatric hospitalizations is estimated at more than $5 million for this population
• Cost avoidance for fewer incarcerations is estimated at $32 million for those served by FSP programs

Project 50, which identifies homeless individuals most at risk on Skid Row, reported that tangible benefits include both better quality of life, housing and health for the most vulnerable homeless, but also, cost avoidance of an estimated $492,000 through less acute psychiatric hospitalizations and incarcerations.

For more information about these programs, contact Kathleen Piche, Public Information Officer, at (213) 738-4041, or visit http://dmh.lacounty.gov.

SOURCE Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health