PCPA recently incorporated members' comments into a letter to OMR, for their review with OMHSAS, on the draft Bulletin from the Office of Mental Retardation (OMR) and Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) titled Coordination of Treatment and Supports for People with a Serious Mental Illness who also have a Diagnosis of Mental Retardation.
Some of the concerns expressed included:
- A need for funding for treatment and services for people with these dual diagnoses
- Use of the term "serious mental illness" which implies exclusion of persons with other levels of mental illness
- The need for guidelines for counties for the required coordination of services and determination of payment responsibilities
- The need for regulations and funding streams that allow consumers to move easily between providers and systems
- The lack of attention to persons with substance abuse problems
The comments included an expression of appreciation to OMR and OMHSAS for their attention to the problems inherent in the systems for persons with the dual diagnosis of MR and mental illness and for the flexibility exhibited in recommendation of a comprehensive review tool, rather than a requirement of a specific tool.
The comments can be obtained by accessing the link above or by contacting Lynn Keltz or Rebecca May Cole.