State Office of Consumer Affairs

1
State Office of Consumer Affairs

• A Pathway to Effective Public
• Behavioral Health Services
• By William Schneider, MSW, Coordinator of
• Broward Regional Health Planning Councils
• Office of Consumer Affairs
• Co-presenter Gayle Bluebird, R.N./Advocate,
  Advocacy Center for Persons With Disabilities

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What is a State Office of Consumer Affairs?

• A State Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA)
  provides an excellent vehicle for incorporating
  consumer perspectives into state behavioral
  health agency policymaking.

3
What is a State Office of Consumer Affairs?
(cont.)

• OCAs carry out their mission in a variety of
  ways depending on the needs and priorities of
  Consumers and the State Behavioral Health System.

4
History

• 1989 - 1990 New Hampshire and Alabama Office of
  Consumer Affairs Established
• 1990s State Offices of Consumer Affairs Spread
  throughout the Country
• 1993- National Association of Consumer/Survivor
  Mental Health Administrators (NAC/SMHA) founded
  Mission Statement Formed

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What Would the State Office be Responsible For?

• Promotes Recovery-Based Behavioral Health
  Services
• Assures Consumers Rights Against Coercion and
  Abuse
• Provides Quality Assurance and Evaluation of
  Managed Care Programs
• Advocates for the De-Criminalization of Mental
  Illness

6
What Would the State Office be Responsible For?
(cont.)

• Creates Networks of Communication Between
  Organizations and Individuals at the State Level
• Participates in All Policy Development and
  Decision Making Meetings
• Promotes Consumer Involvement in Legislative
  Issues Affecting Consumers

7
What Would the State Office be Responsible For?
(cont.)

• Promotes the Expansion of Self-help and
  Consumer-operated Programs
• Promotes and Develops Peer Specialist Training
  Programs
• Develops Guidelines and Training Standards for
  Drop-in Centers and Other Consumer Recovery-based
  Initiatives

8
What Would the State Office be Responsible For?
(cont.)

• Mental Health Advance Directives
• Involuntary Treatment Issues
• Managed Care
• Outpatient Commitment
• Self-Directed Care
• Elimination of Barriers Initiative (EBI)
• Other

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What are the Core Elements of a State Office of
Consumer Affairs?

• Planning and Hiring Must Be Supported By and
  Involve Consumers/Survivors
• Must Be Directed By a Self-Identified
  Consumer/Survivor
• Must Be Part of Senior Management Team
• Must have an Adequate Support System in Place
• Proven Ability to Work with Bureaucracy as Well
  as Grass Roots

10
Why Florida Needs a State OCA?

• 40 Other States Have a State Office of Consumer
  Affairs
• District 8 and 10 are the only OCAs in Florida
• All Other Counties/Districts Are Not Served

11
Why Florida Needs a State OCA? (cont.)

• Florida Lacks Coordination of Organized Consumer
  Input and Voice
• Input from Consumer Leaders, Role Models and
  Advocates Are Under Utilized in Policymaking

12
Why Florida Needs a State OCA? (cont.)

• Florida does not have a consumer voice in
  NAC/SMHA and other National Projects
• Position totally focuses on consumer
  representation
• OCA will mobilize consumers to respond to
  legislative issues

13
More Reasons

• Statewide Consumer Conferences
• Data Base of Consumers for Distribution of
  Information
• Writes Grant Proposals for Consumer Initiatives
• Seeks and Acquires Information from National TA
  Centers, Etc.

14
Supportive Statewide Organizations

• NAMI Florida Consumer Council
• Drop-in Centers
• Providers
• Consumer Advocates and
• Other Statewide Advocacy Organizations

15
Office Needs

• Career Service Position
• Adequate Budget
• Support Staff
• Benefit Package

16
Networking and Communication Possibilities

• Statewide Listservs for Consumers
• Website, i.e. District 10 OCA
• Newsletters
• Annual Statewide Conference
• Teleconferences

17
Cost for A State Office?

• Other States Average 40 to 60k per year for a
  Director
• Ideal Office - 3 Staff Tennessee a Model to Copy
• Refer to Other States (SC, GA, TN, etc.)

18
OCAs Support Presidents New Freedom Commission
Goals

• Goal 2 The Plan of Care will be at the Core of
  the Consumer-Centered, Recovery-Oriented Mental
  Health System. Mental Health Care Is Consumer and
  Family Driven
• 2.2 Involve Consumers and Families Fully in
  Orienting the Mental Health System Toward
  Recovery
• 2.5 Protect and Enhance the Rights of People with
  Mental Illnesses

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Final Recommendation

• That Florida Establishes a State Office of
  Consumer Affairs of Behavioral Health (SAMH).
• Win/Win/Win/Win for Consumers/Family
  Members/Stakeholders/State Behavioral Health
  System
• Cost-effective/A Best Practice
• Supports New Freedom Commissions Goals