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D#:E$.'%+6F Piompteu by conceins about iesouices foi mental health caie voiceu at an eailiei
LWv of Canton-sponsoieu foium, the LWv of Canton voteu in the fall of 2u12 to conuuct a stuuy of
mental health seivices foi iesiuents of the Faimington valley. The stuuy committee gatheieu uata
fiom numeious souices incluuing feueial anu state agencies anu auvocacy gioups such as NANI
(National Alliance on Nental Illness). Auuitionally, five questions uesigneu to assess the availability
of seivices anu suppoits foi Faimington valley iesiuents with behavioial health issues anu foi theii
families weie useu to inteiview paients, consumei auvocates anu piofessionals incluuing social
seivice uiiectois, polices anu school officials, school suppoit staff anu cleigy in the towns of Avon,
Canton, Faimington, uianby anu Simsbuiy. The questions coveieu the following aieas:
1. What kinds of behavioral health services are currently available to residents of your town
and the Farmington Valley?
2. Are services accessible?
3. What can be done to improve services?
By Nay 2u1S, the inteiviews weie complete anu the iesponses enableu the League Nental Bealth
Stuuy Committee to iuentify a numbei of common conceins aiounu available mentalbehavioial
health seivices. These aie listeu below anu weie not piioiitizeu by the Stuuy Committee.
1. Stigma exists for consumers and families.
2. Mental health parity is an issue. Mental health issues have not been treated like other
illnesses.
3. Early detection/intervention is inadequate.
4. Lack of insurance coverage and inadequate coverage (Impact of the Affordable Care Act
in 2014) is a problem.
5. There are too few professionals to diagnose and treat in the Farmington Valley.
6. Access to information and services is sometimes confusing and inadequate.
7. Housing and long-term solutions are lacking.
8. Transportation is a problem because many services are outside of towns.
Baseu on the above conceins anu with consiueiation of the official positions of the Connecticut
League of Women voteis anu the League of Women voteis of the 0niteu States, the Canton LWv
Nental Bealth Stuuy Committee ueciueu to focus on thiee questions:
1. What behavioral health services are available to residents of the Farmington Valley?
2. What stands in the way of individuals receiving the services they need for behavioral
health difficulties?
3. What can state and local governments and other entities do to improve the state of
behavioral healthy for residents of Canton and the Farmington Valley?
G<#;2#?2" 1"+-#2HD"4#<;'.#2 3"#2-4 5".<;:"/ ('. I#.*;+$-'+ ,#22"7 ="/;6"+-/: Theie aie
many behavioial health seivices available to chiluien anu auults who aie iesiuents of the
Faimington valley. These incluue seivices fiom towns, schools, piivate piactitioneis anu nonpiofit
agencies. Seivices also incluue the "safety net" seivices funueu by the Bepaitment of Chiluien anu
Families anu the Bepaitment of Nental Bealth anu Auuiction Seivices. Also, the National Alliance on
Nental Illness (NANI) pioviues some seivices, incluuing euucation anu family suppoit. Bowevei,
most seivices available to Fv iesiuents aie locateu outsiue of the Faimington valley anu iequiie
tianspoitation.
Emeigency psychiatiic seivices aie available foi both auults anu chiluien !" the Faimington valley.
The Capital Region Nental Bealth Centei Nobile Ciisis Team seives auults in Avon, Faimington,
Canton anu Simsbuiy. Chiluien in ciisis aie seiveu by Wheelei Clinic's BCF-funueu Emeigency
Nobile Psychiatiic Seivices in all foui towns. These seivices aie pioviueu on location in the local
towns. In uianby, ciisis seivice is pioviueu by Community Bealth Resouices both to auults anu
chiluien, also in the town itself iathei than in Baitfoiu oi othei locations. Auuitional infoimation is
available in the full iepoit.

J?/-#:2"/ -' J?-#;+;+$ 1"+-#2HD"4#<;'.#2 3"#2-4 0#."F Theie aie numeious obstacles that
stanu in the way of an inuiviuual's ieceiving appiopiiate ciisis oi long-teim caie. These may
incluue the stigma associateu with mentalbehavioial health ielateu illnesses, lack of emeigency
iesponueis tiaineu as pait of a Ciisis Inteivention Team able to help in psychiatiic emeigencies,
public ignoiance about mentalbehavioial health pioblems anu how to hanule them, lack of
tianspoitation to caie, lack of local caie pioviueis, anu lack of suppoitive housing anu othei
suppoits such as ieauily available case manageis. Towns vaiy in the seivices they offei. A fullei
uiscussion is pioviueu in the complete iepoit.

G:-;'+ K'//;?;2;-;"/ ('. L'M+/ #+6 -4" 5-#-"F Action possibilities foi the State of Connecticut
incluue facilitating access to caie, pioviuing moie suppoiteu housing both as gioup homes anu
inuiviuual housing, pioviuing bettei tianspoitation anuoi making moie seivices locally, euucating
the public about mental health anu behavioial health incluuing ieuucing stigma anu pioviuing
cleai, concise infoimation foi state iesiuents on wheie to tuin foi help with mental anu behavioial
health issues.
Towns can also take action in the same aieas, woiking to influence state goveinment to make
impiovements in the seivices it offeis. They can also play a iole thiough the schools in buugeting
foi moie school special seivices staff, incluuing effoits to ieuuce stigma in the school cuiiiculum
anu in euucating teacheis anu othei school staff, paients anu stuuents about mental anu behavioial
health issues. Auuitionally towns coulu pioviue appiopiiate tiaining foi the fiist iesponueis, local
cleigy anu youth leaueis. Towns coulu also woik with local businesses to encouiage theii hiiing
people with mental health anu behavioial illness pioblems in appiopiiate jobs.

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Auopteu Nov. 6, 2u1S

The LWv 0S believes that eveiy 0.S. iesiuent shoulu have access to a basic level of quality health
caie at an affoiuable cost that incluues mental health caie.
The LWv of Canton has founu that iesiuents, town officials anu pioviueis in the Faimington valley
believe that quality, affoiuable mental health caie is not as accessible to iesiuents of the
Faimington valley as it shoulu be.
The LWv of Canton favois actions by local, state anu feueial goveinments to iemove baiiieis anu
enhance access to mental health caie foi iesiuents of the Faimington valley incluuing, but not
limiteu to the following measuies:

! Pioviuing moie anu bettei infoimation about mental health anu seivices;
! Expanuing pievention anu eaily inteivention seivices in the Faimington valley;
! Removal of baiiieis to seivices such as tianspoitation, lack of oi complexity of insuiance,
lack of housing, shoitage of mental health piofessionals, stigma;
! Expanuing seivices anu auuiessing gaps in the seivice system such as Asseitive Community
Tieatment (ACT) anu Ciisis Inteivention Team (CIT) tiaining foi all police in the
Faimington valley towns;
! Establishment of moie mental health seivices !" the Faimington valley towns by Capitol
Region Nental Bealth Centei anu othei public anu piivate pioviueis.


http:www.lwvct.oig


The League of Women Voters of Canton, Connecticut
LWV Study Process and Preliminary Report
Mental Health Issues in the Farmington Valley
October 13, 2013

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The League of Women voteis of Canton began a stuuy in }anuaiy 2u1S to assess the mental health
seivice neeus in the Faimington valley aiea when it became eviuent that theie was a cleai neeu to
auuiess this issue. We weie piompteu not only by high-piofile inciuents such as the Newtown
shootings that took place in oui state, but also by being aleiteu by local town officials that theie
weie young people in oui community who weie seeking housing because they suffeieu fiom
behavioial issues anu theie was a lack of seivices in place to seive them. We hau also helu an
euucational foium leu by oui own LWv membei, Naiilyn Ricci, last yeai, that highlighteu the neeu
foi impioving access anu euucation about behavioial health issues in the valley.

A Stuuy committee was conveneu in }anuaiy anu was compiiseu of the following League membeis:
Naiy Bess, Evelyn Kubas, uina Nagennis, Euith 0ffenhaitz,, Sally Reigei, Naiilyn Ricci, Susan Saiuel,
anu }ulie Rush. The stuuy committee set out to suivey the seivice neeus foi all psychiatiic pioblems
incluuing alcohol anu both legalpiesciiption anu illegal substance abuse by inteiviewing key
membeis of the community iegaiuing the issues that affect oui iesiuents. We then collecteu theii
input foi the stuuy.
The following questions weie useu to inquiie about the availability of seivices anu suppoits foi
Faimington valley iesiuents anu theii families, who have mental health behavioial health issues .

1)What kinus of seivices aie cuiiently available.
What kinus of (emeigency, uigent, ioutine) seivices aie most neeueu.
Who can cuiiently access seivices. (auults, oluei, young auults, youth, chiluien.) Who is
being left out.
Bow accessible aie the seivices.
What aie the most significant baiiieis to obtaining seivices. Cost, insuiance coveiage,
locationtianspoitation, etc.)
Bo iesiuents of Canton seek seivices if they neeu them. If not ,why not.
2) Bow can local, state, anuoi feueial goveinment act to impiove mental health caie.
S) What is youi biggest concein in auuiessing the mental health issues in oui community
(Faimington valley). This can incluue funuing issues, location of seivice aieas, houis of opeiation,
access by public tianspoitation, etc. among any othei conceins.
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We went foith anu inteivieweu multiple authoiities on the topic of Nental Bealth in the Faimington
valley, incluuing town social seivices uiiectois, police, school officials, school psychologists,
paients, consumei auvocates, anu cleigy. At this point, we iealizeu that the scope of the stuuy was
veiy bioau. yet soon it became cleai that theie weie many common thieaus anu we pioceeueu to
iuentify them by consensus within stuuy committee as follows:
" SLlgma exlsLs for consumers and famllles
" Medlcal LqulLy ls an lssue. MenLal healLh noL LreaLed llke oLher lllnesses.
" Larly deLecLlon /lnLervenLlon ls lnadequaLe
" Lack of lnsurance coverage, (lmpacL of Affordable Care AcL ln 2014)
" Low number of professlonals Lo dlagnose and LreaL ln Lhe larmlngLon valley
" Access Lo lnformaLlon and Servlces ls someLlmes confuslng and lnadequaLe
" Pouslng and long-Lerm soluLlons are lacklng
" 1ransporLaLlon ls a problem because many servlces are ouLslde of Lowns.
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Nental Bealth (2uuS) Suppoit: compiehensive community-baseu mental health systems foi
chiluien anu auults to incluue eaily uetection, inteivention anu a iange of seivices, anu a public
health initiative on mental illness
LWv 0S (Apiil 199S) Position on Bealth Caie as announceu by the National Boaiu:u0ALS: The LWv
of the 0niteu States believes that a basic level of quality health caie at an affoiuable cost shoulu be
available to all 0.S. iesiuents. 0thei 0.S. health caie policy goals shoulu incluue the equitable
uistiibution of seivices, efficient anu economic ueliveiy of caie, auvancement of meuical ieseaich
anu technology, anu a ieasonable total national expenuituie foi health caie.
BASIC LEvEL 0F CARE: Eveiy 0.S. iesiuent shoulu have access to a basic level of caie that incluues
the pievention of uiseases, health piomotion anu euucation, piimaiy caie (incluuing pienatal anu
iepiouuctive health), acute caie, long-teim caie anu '+(0&/ 7+&/07 *&#+; Bental, vision anu heaiing
caie also aie impoitant but lowei in piioiity. The League believes that unuei any system of health
caie iefoim, consumeispatients shoulu be peimitteu to puichase seivices oi insuiance coveiage
beyonu the basic level.
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LWV Study Process and Preliminary Report
Mental Health Issues in the Farmington Valley
S0NNARY 0F Q0ESTI0N #1: @7&0 N+7&=1$#&/ 7+&/07 ,+#=1*+, &#+ &=&1/&N/+ 0$ #+,1)+(0, $2 07+
8&#'1(%0$( 9&//+:O


NENTAL BEALTBS0BSTANCE AB0SE SERvICES AvAILABLE T0 RESIBENTS 0F TBE
FARNINuT0N vALLEY

The Bepaitment of Chiluien anu Families (BCF) funus a continuum of mental health seivices foi
chiluien, contiacting with piivate pioviueis to seive iesiuents of the Baitfoiu aiea, incluuing the
Faimington valley (Fv). The Bepaitment of Nental Bealth anu Auuiction Seivices (BNBAS) funus a
full continuum of mental health anu substance abuse seivices foi auult iesiuents of the Faimington
valley. Theie aie many BCF anu BNBAS-funueu pioviueis seiving Fv iesiuents, but the pioviueis'
offices aie not locateu in the Faimington valley, anu iesiuents must tiavel to Baitfoiu oi othei
towns foi outpatient seivices.
Foi auult psychiatiic emeigencies, the Capitol Region Nental Bealth Centei Nobile Ciisis Team
makes visits in the Faimington valley towns of Avon, Canton, Faimington anu Simsbuiy. Wheelei
Clinic's BCF-funueu Emeigency Nobile Psychiatiic Seivices (ENPS) staff will come to home anu
community settings such as schools in Avon, Canton, Faimington anu Simsbuiy foi ciises involving
chiluien. Community Bealth Resouices auult ciisis seivices anu chilu ENPS staff seive iesiuents of
uianby. Each Faimington valley town has a Youth Seivice buieau that offeis infoimation, iefeiial
anu counseling assistance foi youth anu families.
Auuitionally,
See attachment #1 : Nental Bealth Seivices in the Faimington valley
See attachment #2 : Nental Bealth Seivices Chait
See attachment #S : Biiectoiy of Seivices Noith Cential Region Nental Bealth Boaiu(NCRNBB)
See attachment #4 : National Alliance of Nental Bealth (NANI) Biiectoiy

S0NNARY 0F Q0ESTI0N #2:
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)1221*4/01+,O
1. unllke oLher lllnesses, many Llmes, Lhe besL servlces may be found ln Lhe publlc secLor.
rlvaLe lnsurance ofLen only pays for shorL-Lerm care. lor example, a sLay aL Lhe
lnsLlLuLe of Llvlng ln Lhe Schlzophrenla 8ehab program can be for up Lo Lwo years.
rlvaLe lnsurance may pay for only 3 weeks. A slldlng scale ls deslrable for boLh prlvaLe
and publlc menLal healLh consumers Lo access LreaLmenLs.
2. Medlcal parlLy ls ofLen lacklng even for Lhose wlLh lnsurance. 1he Amerlcan sychlaLrlc
AssoclaLlon has flled a complalnL Lo AnLhem PealLh lans, lnc. for vlolaLlon of Lhe
federal MenLal PealLh arlLy and AddlcLlon LqulLy AcL (MPAL) and C1's lnsurance
parlLy law". (l have a shorL arLlcle wlLh more deLall)
3. LducaLlon abouL menLal lllness ls lacklng. Many young people go unLreaLed because
parenLs and schools do noL know whaL sympLoms of lllness are. 1hls prompLed us Lo
hold an educaLlonal forum on CcLober 13
Lh
.
4. 1eachers and oLher school sLaff are ofLen unLralned Lo supporL and Lo manage menLal
healLh needs of sLudenLs wlLhouL resorLlng Lo suspenslon, expulslon or arresL (from a
reporL by Lhe Chlld PealLh and uevelopmenL lnsLlLuLe AugusL, 2013).
3. SLlgma keeps famllles from asklng for help. 1he culLure around menLal healLh ls very
negaLlve. SLlgma causes denlal of a problem and/or undersLandlng whaL Lhe problem
mlghL be.
6. 1here are noL enough psychlaLrlsLs whose pracLlce lncludes serlous menLal lllness,
parLlcularly ln chlldren. Accordlng Lo our resources, Lhere are only four 8oard CerLlfled
psychlaLrlsLs ln Lhe valley.
7. 1here ls llLLle supporLlve houslng - very few SecLlon 8 or subsldlzed houslng unlLs ln Lhe
valley. lor ex. ln larmlngLon Lhe walL llsL for such houslng ls 3-6 years. 1here ls no
LranslLlonal supporLlve houslng for Leens/young adulLs. Zonlng may be a deLerrenL Lo
havlng adequaLe amounLs of affordable houslng.
8. The Capitol Region Nental Bealth Centei, the auult BNBAS-leau mental health
agency seiving Baitfoiu anu the Faimington valley, uoes uispatch its mobile ciisis
team to all the Fv towns except uianby. Anu Wheelei Clinic's emeigency mobile
psychiatiic seivices (ENPS) come into all of the Fv towns except uianby. (Foi both
auult anu chilu ciisis seivices, uianby is seiveu by Community Bealth Resouices). It
has been iepoiteu that it may take up to 2 houis foi the auult ciisis team to come to
the scene of a ciisis.
9. Cnly a few pollce havlng Cl1 (Crlsls lnLervenLlon 1eam) Lralnlng. (Avon had no pollce
Lralned ln Cl1). no pollce deparLmenL ln Lhe valley has a Cl1 pollcy whlch ouLllnes such
Lhlngs as dlspaLcher wlll send a Cl1 Lralned offlcer lf one ls on duLy".
10. School resource offlcers (S8Cs) are noL Lralned ln Cl1. 1here ls a Cl1 for ?ouLh whlch
equlps S8Cs wlLh skllls Lo recognlze menLal healLh concerns, safely de-escalaLe a crlsls
and work wlLh schools, parenLs and chlldren's menLal healLh provlders Lo llnk sLudenLs
wlLh menLal healLh care.
11. 1here ls a lack of LransporLaLlon Lo servlces LhaL are mosLly locaLed ln ParLford.
12. PosplLal sLays are ofLen shorLchanged and do noL allow for adequaLe Llme for paLlenLs
Lo geL well. 1here ls a shorLage of beds and a lack of opLlons when leavlng Lhe hosplLal.
1here does noL seem Lo be a coordlnaLlon of care when leavlng hosplLal. 1hls problem ls
deflnlLely worse for Lhose who are noL on Medlcald/Medlcare.
13. Accordlng Lo our daLa, Lhere are no case managers ln Lhe valley.
14. Cur rellglous leaders expressed Lhe deslre for more ln-servlce/Lralnlng regardlng menLal
healLh, accesslng servlces, eLc.
13. 1here are no AC1 (AsserLlve CommunlLy 1reaLmenL) 1eams ln Lhe valley.
16. 1here ls no easy access Lo lnformaLlon regardlng menLal lllness and how and where Lo
geL servlces. WhaL Lhere ls, ls ofLen confuslng.
17. 1here ls no asslsLed ouLpaLlenL LreaLmenL ln C1. (1hls ls conLroverslal)
18. 1here ls a need for early deLecLlon and lnLervenLlon.
19. 1here ls noL enough supporLlve educaLlon and supporLlve employmenL.
20. 1here ls a lack of lnLegraLed servlces for Lhose wlLh co-occurrlng subsLance abuse.
21. 1here ls a lack of lnLegraLed servlces for Lhose wlLh co-occurrlng subsLance abuse.
S0NNARY 0F Q0ESTI0N #S:
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In the piocess of inteiviewing many mental health piofessionals in Faimington valley
towns, the CLWv Nental Bealth Seivices Suivey committee gatheieu a wiue vaiiety of iueas foi
impioving mental health caie. At state, local anu piivate levels, the impiovement iueas can be
categoiizeu as follows:
1. Access to Caieuoveinment Policy
2. Bousing
S. Tianspoitation
4. TiainingEuucation0utieach
S. Knowing Wheie to Stait
6. Eiasing Stigma

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1. Stieamline state assistance foims. Neeu shoitei foims that neeu less fiequent filing.
2. Nake the Chaitei 0ak plan moie affoiuable.
S. Change Neuicaiu income limits so that moie people aie eligible. Bo not incluue paients' incomes
on young auult eligibility assessments.
4. Legislation: consiuei legally iequiiing patients to take meus. As one mental health piofessional
stateu, "iight now oui hanus aie tieu if the patient iefuses meuication anu spiials uownwaiu---we
can uo nothing until they bieak the law."
S. Re-examine the "24-Boui Bolu" iule on committing a town iesiuent to a psychiatiic facility. As
one inteiviewee saiu, "This amount of time is too shoit to help solve any of the peison's pioblems;
the patient is uischaigeu, no bettei, just angiiei."
6. At both the state anu local goveinmental level, an "inteimeuiate level" mobile ciisis iesouice is
neeueu, with its own set of ciiteiia foi eligibility. In the woius of one piofessional, "this woulu
pioviue a less 'uiamatic' way of inteivening in the in-between cases that aie not quite to 'ciisis'
point but still neeu action. Cuiiently, if we neeu to call Nobile Ciisis, a police ciuisei often comes
too anu it is quite obvious anu uiamatic. In some cases, an inteimeuiate-level ciisis iesouice coulu
be less tiaumatic foi client, family anu community."

6$4,1(%-
1. Suppoit infoimation that follows is pioviueu by NANI of Connecticut (National Alliance on
Nental Illness). Accoiuing to the NANI CT website, the Connecticut agency iesponsible foi
suppoitive housing anu clinical seivices is BNBAS (Bepaitment of Nental Bealth anu Auuiction
Seivices). This is the agency thiough which possible housing impiovements can be puisueu.
2. Also accoiuing to NANI CT, Connecticut has cieateu a new state Bepaitment of Bousing (B0B)
to centialize leaueiship in the housing aiea. Theie aie cuiiently about 1uu new subsiuizeu housing
units slateu foi 2u1S (this is acioss CT).
S. In geneial, we founu that each of oui Faimington valley towns neeueu moie subsiuizeu
housingSection 8 housing acioss all aieas of neeu: elueily, low-income anu people living with a
mental illness. In one of oui laigei towns, the wait list foi subsiuizeu housing is S to 6 yeais long!
4. Theie is a gieat neeu foi uiffeient -7N"/ of subsiuizeu housing as well. uioup homes aie neeueu;
in this type of home S oi 6 auults live in a home with supeivision. Inuiviuual housing units aie
neeueu foi those who make goou enough choices to succeeu living on theii own with iegulai case-
management seivices. This type of peison uoes not benefit fiom a gioup-home setting.
S. The uiffeient populations that neeu housing assistance shoulu not be houseu togethei. A goou
example is putting the elueily in the same subsiuizeu-housing builuing as people living with a
mental illness. This is uoomeu fiom the stait because of the significantly uiffeient lifestyles of these
two populations. Sepaiate housing aieas aie neeueu.

B#&(,C$#0&01$(-
1. Bettei tianspoitation is neeueu acioss all towns. A majoi pioblem is that most of the facilities
foi mental health tieatment anu most of the mental health specialists aie concentiateu in Baitfoiu.
Foi those patients iesiuing in the Faimington valley anu suiiounuing towns, getting to anu fiom an
appointment can take the entiie uay if they aie ielying on town-suppoiteu tianspoitation.
2. Noie satellite clinics in the valley anu suiiounuing towns woulu simplify anu impiove access to
caie. Specifically, one inteiviewee hopeu foi moie outieach into the Faimington valley by two
entities: CRNBC (Captiol Region Nental Bealth Centei) anu Chiysalis (pioviuei of auult mental
health seivices).
S. Towns shoulu woik togethei iegionally to shaie tianspoitation seivices. Some towns aie too
small to be able to pioviue theii own tianspoitation logistics.
4. Note: 0ne inteiviewee saiu that the 0S-B0T has iecently pioviueu some giant funuing to
expanu Bial-A-Riue seivices. This may be an avenue to puisue fuithei expansion of tianspoitation
seivices.

B#&1(1(%RQ)4*&01$(RT40#+&*7-
1. In geneial, the state can help a gieat ueal in euucating the public about mental health foi all ages
thiough using ALL C0NN0NICATI0N CBANNELS to spieau the woiu about "seeing something anu
saying something". 0sing public seivice announcements, all meuia---newspapeis, online meuia,
television, billboaius---all of those can help to euucate the public. With euucation, of couise, it is
hopeu that "feai of the unknown" will uissipate anu inciease acceptance of those who live with a
mental illness.

U($>1(% @7+#+ 0$ .0&#0-
1. 0ne iesouice that shoulu be maue easily accessible to all mental health piofessionals, facilities,
schools, chuiches, etc. is a concise biochuie of pioviueisnumbeis to call. In the towns of Avon,
Canton, Faimington, Simsbuiy anu West Baitfoiu, that biochuie is the "State Funueu anu Nental
Bealth anu Auuiction Seivices foi Auults" pioviueu by CRNBC. Foi uianby, Builington,
Baikhamsteu anu othei suiiounuing towns, we aie still awaiting infoimation fiom the NCRNBB as
to who woulu pioviue such a biochuie to these towns. (NCRNBB stanus foi Noith Cential Regional
Nental Bealth Boaiu).

Q#&,1(% .01%'&-
1. As mentioneu above in "TiainingEuucation0utieach", all communication channels shoulu be
useu to biing the issues of mental health fiont anu centei to the public. Though this effoit shoulu
be happening at all levels of state anu local goveinment, please also see the section below foi iueas
that those at the LocalTown level can enact.

PB B6Q ?TAP? ?Q9Q?-
As a geneial note, those who aie looking to impiove behavioial health caie shoulu also iefei to the
State iecommenuations above foi infoimation anu inspiiation. Nany of the State iecommenuations
coulu also be appioacheu in a local setting.

P**+,, 0$ A&#+RS$=+#('+(0 "$/1*:-
1. Nuch of the eligibility foi caie is auuiesseu at the state level, but town goveinment can help by
intiouucing policies to pioviue foi the following: incieaseu CIT (Ciisis Inteivention Team) tiaining
foi town police anu town social seivicesmental health piofessionals. Theie is also an ACT
(Asseitive Community Tieatment) team concept that biings togethei piofessionals fiom multiple
mental health uisciplines to biing mental health caie to communities. The ACT website
(www.actassociation.oig) is a goou place to begin ieseaich on ueveloping a local oi iegional ACT
team.
2. Town goveinments can woik coopeiatively with local business to cieate job oppoitunities foi
people living with a mental illness that aie not too stiessful, but woulu inciease inuepenuence anu
self-ieliance on the pait of the peison involveu, anu ueciease stigma in the community.
S. As mentioneu in State listings, an "inteimeuiate" level of mobile ciisis iesouice can be cieateu
within communities foi cases that aie not quite a "ciisis" but still neeu quick action. This iesouice
woulu not necessaiily neeu to involve a police ciuisei anu such at the house, which can be moie
tiaumatic foi client, family anu community especially when it is not ieally neeueu.
S. Seveial iueas with iegaiu to local Boaiu of Euucation anu school policies can be founu in the
categoiy below, "TiainingEuucation0utieach."

6$4,1(%-
1. As mentioneu above in the State "Bousing" listings, all towns neeu to inciease theii peicentage of
both gioup homes anu inuiviuual housing units foi mental health clients who aie able to succeeu
inuiviuually. Accoiuing to a iepiesentative of the iegional housing commissionei's office, theie aie
N0 gioup homes in the Faimington valley aiea. Auuitional inteiviewing of a social-seivice uiiectoi
at the town level ievealeu that, uue to BIPAA iegulations, etc., it is often uifficult to know whethei
"uisableu housing" is pioviueu foi physical uisabilities 0R mental uisabilities, anu this can make it
uncleai just how much housing is uesignateu foi iesiuents with mental-health neeus.

B#&(,C$#0&01$(-
1. Towns shoulu woik with mental health facilities baseu in Baitfoiu to open satellite offices in
theii towns.
2. As mentioneu above in State listings, cooiuinating with aujacent towns to pioviue tianspoitation
into Baitfoiu woulu benefit all neaiby town iesiuents.

B#&1(1(%RQ)4*&01$(RT40#+&*7-
1. Town peisonnel, police peisonnel, schools, chuichcleigy, anu paients shoulu puisue tiaining in
"Nental Bealth Fiist Aiu" (theie is a tiaining piogiam by that name) oi CIT (Ciisis Inteivention
Team) tiaining. The "Nental Bealth Fiist Aiu" piogiam may be moie appiopiiate foi the laypeison,
anu is woith investigating.
2. Paients: one inteiviewee citeu the neeu foi a paiental auvocacy coalition (which this peison
iefeiieu to as "Paients Belping Paients") to "iuentify a taiget anu aim", meaning to iuentify specific
aieas foi mental health seivice impiovement, euucate legislatois on these neeus, anu seek
iesolution to these pioblems. NANI CT pioviues just such a piogiam calleu "Family to Family", anu
NANI also has auvocacy gioups to meet this neeu.
The following iueas aie laigely geaieu towaiu local school uistiicts, anu auuiesseu seveial
appioaches to impioving mental health of oui young people. Nost of these iueas weie piesenteu by
a ietiieu high school psychologist who was pait of the suivey.

1. Noie mental health iesouices aie neeueu within the schools. This piofessional saw a slight bias,
encouiageu by non-psychologically-oiienteu school auministiatois, towaiu behavioial
inteiventionists insteau of psychologists. The inteiventionists tieat the symptomsmanifestation
of the stuuent's pioblem, not the ioot cause. A psychologist woulu get at the ioot cause.
2. School auministiatois shoulu move away fiom the cuiient shift to "uata-uiiven" uecision making
with iegaiu to choosing which mental health seivices to pioviue within theii uistiict. Woiking with
stuuents who neeu mental health seivices is not a "cut anu uiy" situation, anu the plusses anu
minuses of tieatments anu seivices uo not always "piint out neatly on a spieausheet." Thus, this
moue of thinking can pievent schools fiom getting the best mental health seivices foi theii
stuuents.
S. Similaily, uue to these uata-uiiven appioaches, schools cuiiently have to wait until a stuuent
piesents eviuence of being a thieat---i.e. bieaking a law, huiting someone oi himself, befoie they
can act. A less uata-uiiven appioach woulu take into account the obseivations of the teacheis anu
auministiatois that ieally know the stuuents.
4. At least twice a yeai, school uistiicts shoulu piesent (anu heavily auveitise) a piogiam foi
families about inteinet auuiction anu violent viueo game auuiction. This is a tiue epiuemic among
oui youth, anu inteivention by paients neeus to occui at youngei ages to be effective, often by the
S
th
, 6
th
oi 7
th
giaues. By the time these kius aie teenageis, the paients may lose contiol, because
the kius aie olu enough anu big enough to possibly piesent a physical thieat to theii paients.
Impoitant to note heie is that even if attenuance "uata" uoes not show a high tuinout of paients foi
a school piogiam, the school auministiation shoulu N0T see it as a failuie. Even if only 1u paients
show up, those aie 1u people who ieally neeueu the tiaining anu got it.
S. Teachings of minufulness anu yoga shoulu be incoipoiateu in the health cuiiiculum of all
schools. Teacheis shoulu be tiaineu in these methous too. 0ne of the veiy goou piogiams available
is helu eveiy August at the uaiiison Institute, uaiiison, NY.

U($>1(% @7+#+ 0$ .0&#0-
1. Towns can make suie that all of theii police, fiie, social seivices, schools, anu all ieligious
institutions in town have the appiopiiate biochuie foi theii iegion (see above unuei "State"
listings, "Knowing Wheie to Stait"). This is a concise, quick iefeience foi all who woik with town
iesiuents to use when seivices aie neeueu.
2. Town goveinments can use theii websites to piominently uisplay contact numbeis foi theii
social seivices office, etc., foi iesiuents to use foi questions about seivices.
S. Since the topics of bullying anu mental-health may often be ielateu, school piogiams anu
uiscussions coulu focus on these topics in ielation to each othei. As paients aie tiaineu as to what
to look foi in bullying situations, they coulu also be infoimeu as to what to look foi iegaiuing
possible mental health issues. The piocess of iesolving bullying conflicts coulu ieveal mental-
health issues with eithei the bully, the victim, oi both, which coulu inciease the likelihoou of getting
to the ioot of theii pioblems.

Q#&,1(% .01%'&-
1. Acioss all inteiviewees, EB0CATI0N T0 REB0CE STIuNA was emphasizeu. Because mental-
health issues ieach acioss all ages anu income levels, eveiy possible communication channel shoulu
be useu to ieach all iesiuents iegaiuless of inteinet connectivity (oi lack theieof). All
piofessionalstown auministiatois, police, fiie, school, anu chuich auministiatois---shoulu be
talking about it in theii iespective venues, online, anu in piint meuia.
2. Recently in local papeis, a gioup was foimeu at Simsbuiy Bigh School calleu "Best Buuuies." This
gioup is ueuicateu to foiming buuuy-systems foi mentally impaiieu stuuents to woik with
neuiotypical kius. Attention Nagazine iecently publisheu an aiticle uesciibing the "LETS"
oiganization, which stanus foi "Let's Eiase the Stigma." This piogiam is empoweiing stuuents at
miuule anu high schools, anu colleges anu univeisity campuses too. Piofessionals oi anyone
inteiesteu in this oiganization can check the website foi moie infoimation (www.lets.oig).

PCC+()1V-
ACT - Asseitive Community Tieatment
CIT- Ciisis Inteivention Team
BCF- The Bepaitment of Chiluien anu Families
BNBAS -Bepaitment of Nental Bealth anu Auuiction Seivices
ENPS- Emeigency Nobile Psychiatiic Seivices
NBPAE-Nental Bealth Paiity anu Auuiction Equity Act
NANI of Connecticut - National Alliance on Nental Illness
NCRNBB- Noith Cential Regional Nental Bealth Boaiu
SR0 -School Resouice 0fficeis http:www.lwvct.oig






MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN FARMINGTON VALLEY TOWNS
IN
CANTON
IN
FARMINGTON
IN
AVON
IN
SIMSBURY
IN
GRANBY
ACCESS TO
FV
RESIDENTS
EMERGENCY
SERVICES

Wheeler
Clinic
Emergency
Mobile
Psychiatric
Services
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes but
EMPS from
Community
Health
Resources
(CHR)

Capitol
Region
Mental
Health
Mobile Crisis
Team
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes, but
Mobile Crisis
from CHR

Hospital
Emergency
Rooms
Yes Yes in
Farmington,
Hartford
Police (if no
crime;
transport to
hospital)
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
MENTAL
HEALTH
PRIVATE
PRACTICES

Psychiatrists 1 1
Psychologists 3 5 9 2 1
Social
Workers
1 5 6 3
MENTAL
HEALTH
GROUP
PRACTICES

Psychiatry 2 1 1
Psychology 1 2 1
Counseling 2 2 3 2 1 1
Behavioral 1 2 3 1
Medicine
OTHER
MENTAL
HEALTH
SERVICES

National
Alliance on
Mental Illness
(NAMI)
Yes
Family-to-
Family
Yes
Town Social
Workers
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
St. Francis
Care in
Simsbury
Yes
Youth
Service
Bureau
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Public School
Special
Services
Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
SOURCES: Online Searches, Interviews with Mental Health Professionals, Yellow Pages Telephone Book




NENTAL BEALTBS0BSTANCE AB0SE SERvICES AvAILABLE T0 RESIBENTS 0F TBE
FARNINuT0N vALLEY

The Bepaitment of Chiluien anu Families (BCF) funus a continuum of mental health seivices foi
chiluien, contiacting with piivate pioviueis to seive iesiuents of the Baitfoiu aiea, incluuing the
Faimington valley (Fv). The Bepaitment of Nental Bealth anu Auuiction Seivices (BNBAS) funus a
full continuum of mental health anu substance abuse seivices foi auult iesiuents of the Faimington
valley. Theie aie many BCF anu BNBAS-funueu pioviueis seiving Fv iesiuents, but the pioviueis'
offices aie not locateu in the Faimington valley, anu iesiuents must tiavel to Baitfoiu oi othei
towns foi outpatient seivices.
Foi auult psychiatiic emeigencies, the Capitol Region Nental Bealth Centei Nobile Ciisis Team
makes visits in the Faimington valley towns of Avon, Canton, Faimington anu Simsbuiy. Wheelei
Clinic's BCF-funueu Emeigency Nobile Psychiatiic Seivices (ENPS) staff will come to home anu
community settings such as schools in Avon, Canton, Faimington anu Simsbuiy foi ciises involving
chiluien. Community Bealth Resouices auult ciisis seivices anu chilu ENPS staff seive iesiuents of
uianby. Each Faimington valley town has a Youth Seivice buieau that offeis infoimation, iefeiial
anu counseling assistance foi youth anu families.

- Piivate Piactices
(Social Woikeis,
Psychiatiists,
Psychologists,
Counselois
- Institute of Living
(Baitfoiu)
- Baitfoiu Bospital
(Baitfoiu)
- Wheelei Clinic
(Plainville, Baitfoiu,
New Biitain)
- St. Fiancis (Baitfoiu)
- 0Conn
- Piivate Piactitioneis in
inuiviuual anu gioup
piactices (Social
Woikeis, Psychologists,
Psychiatiists,
Counselois, Theiapists
- Institute of Living
(Btfu)
- Wheelei Clinic (Btfu,
Plvl)
- Youth Seivice Buieaus
(All towns)
- School Counselois (All
towns)
- ENPS
- BNBAS-funueu
continuum incluuing
Nobile Ciisis,
0utpatient
- Capitol Region Nental
Bealth Centei
(Baitfoiu)
- Chiysalis Centei (Btfu)
- Baitfoiu Behavioial
Bealth (Btfu)
- St. Fiancis (Btfu)
- Baitfoiu Bospital
(Btfu)
- Institute of Living
(Btfu)
- Wheelei Clinic (Btfu)
- ABRC (Btfu)
- 0Conn
- BCF-funueu seivices
(0utpatient, Intensive,
Caie Nanagement
- Emeigency Nobile
Psychiatiic Seivices
(ENPS) (All Fv towns)
- Wheelei Clinic (Btfu)
- village foi Chiluien anu
Families (Btfu)
- Catholic Chaiities
(Btfu)
- CCNC (Btfu)
- Youth Seivice Buieaus
(All Fv towns)
- School Counselois (All
towns)
CBILBREN
Public
Insuiance oi
0ninsuieu
AB0LTS
Public
Insuiance oi
0ninsuieu
AB0LTS
Commeicial
Insuiance
CBILBREN
Commeicial
Insuiance

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