America's Mental Health Care Crises-How Crazy Are We?-Part 2

This program is designed to offer tangible solutions to the critical issues that are challenging the quality of life in various populations. We invite forward thinkers, entrepreneurs and solutions oriented talkers to engage in meaningful problem solving. These episodes will be forwarded to government officials to let them review solutions oriented discussions. GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Mental Health Transformation Grant Estimated Total Program Funding:$16,500,000 Award Ceiling:$750,000 The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2010 Mental Health Transformation Grants (MHTG). The purpose of this program is to foster adoption and implementation of permanent transformative changes in how public mental health services are organized, managed and delivered so that they are consumer-driven, recovery-oriented and supported through evidence-based and best practices. Funding will support States and local governments to create and/or expand treatment capacity within SAMHSA’s strategic initiatives. SAMHSA’s Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) was charged with responsibility to foster implementation of the recommendations laid out by the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health in their 2003 report Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America....SAMHSA has demonstrated that - prevention works, treatment is effective, and people recover from mental and substance use disorders. Behavioral health services improve health status and reduce health care and other costs to society. Continued improvement in the delivery and financing of prevention, treatment and recovery support services provides a cost effective opportunity to advance and protect the Nation’s health. The World Health Organization (WHO) identified mental illnesses as the leading causes of disability worldwide.