Mental Health Advocates United for Better Communities is a coalition made up of case managers, CBFS workers, mental health advocates, and allies who are committed to making sure all of the Department of Mental Health’s (DMH) participants receive the quality care they need. In 2008, DMH proposed a new model for providing adult participants with services — Community Based Flexible Supports (CBFS). Since then, CBFS has become the cornerstone of DMH’s community health systems for adults and provides participants with a multitude of services.
Over the course of the program’s rollout, mental health workers, case managers, and advocates have found CBFS to be problematic and have some concerns with the system. Mental Health Advocates United for Better Communities was formed to take a closer look at the issues of CBFS and to advocate on behalf of the participants receiving these services.
Core concerns of Mental Health Advocates United for Better Communities:
- CHOICE – All CBFS participants who choose to, should have access to independent public case management throughout their recovery process.
- ACCOUNTABILITY – Meaningful and transparent accountability systems to monitor quality of services are necessary to protect participants and taxpayers. DMH must develop with stakeholders, including front line workers and participants, a monitoring system that identifies problems in a timely manner.
- QUALITY - In order to reduce turnover and provide quality services, mental health professionals need proper training, reasonable workloads, and support. Administrative to direct care staff ratios and caseloads in contracted CBFS services must be established and enforced.
