Noel A. Mazade

Mediation as a new technique for resolving disputes in the mental health system

In the mental health service system, disputes take on various forms and exist in both clinical practice and management. Existing policy and administrative practice has favored a combination of medical and judicial/legal models to handle conflicts among consumers, mental health professionals, and others. The authors propose the addition of mediation as a third form of resolving issues, explicate some of the differences between mediation and current methods of resolving conflicts, and suggest benefits of using mediation.

Environmental Scan 2000: Issues Facing State Mental Health Agencies

With the new millennium, state mental health agencies (SMHAs) are facing a variety of new issues. In this article, the authors report on the changes in state mental health systems that have occurred during the 2 years between interviews conducted with directors of each SMHA. While issues such as managed care, the influence of state Medic-aid waivers on the development of public/private partnerships, and federal welfare reform continued to be key concerns, directors are focusing more on other issues such as assessing SMHA operations, establishing linkages with other state health and human service agencies, and inculcating new knowledge, technologies, and model practices.

Future Issues in Mental Health Administration: A Report.

This article describes highlights and findings of the 1977 National Conference in Mental Health Administration sponsored by The Staff College, National Institute of Mental Health. Over 100 invited experts from the mental health field were assembled to identify changes, trends and developments most likely to influence the administration of mental health services in the future. Conferees also itemized the skills administrators should possess to anticipate and successfully cope with these emerging issues.

State mental health agencies: Emerging fiscal and policy issues

State mental health agencies (SMHAs) are facing significant policy, fiscal, and program issues that are creating heightened awareness of organizational mission, and survival. These issues are a result of a turbulent environment distinguished by rapid pace and unpredictable direction. The devolution of fiscal and program responsibilities for mental health and other social programs from the federal to state government, application of fiscal restraints, and the advent of managed care initiatives both independently and collectively, are exerting pressures on SMHAs to reconsider their role and function as the major player in the public mental health system. With FY 1993 expenditures of more than

What is a CMHC? A Comparative Analysis by Varying Definitional Criteria

14.2 billion, SMHAs continue to e x -

Mental health administration in transition

Using definitions of a community mental health center (CMHC) derived from the original federal legislation, amendments that expanded the range of required services, and alternative conceptions of what constitutes a CMHC, the authors identify organizations that match those definitions in the National Institute of Mental Health Inventory of Mental Health Organizations. A distribution by organizational type is reported with a discriminant analysis applied to explore potential differences.

Interassociation project on performance measures and client outcome indicators.

1. The evolution of mental health administration in relation to current service priorities. 2. The role of the mental health manager within various organizational contexts. 3. Leadership and managerial style within the profession (and as compared to managers of nonmental health enterprises). 4. The implications of these issues for preand post-professional education and training efforts directed toward improving future and practicing mental health administrators.

Current tensions in financing public mental health services

In fall 1996, a major project was begun to compile and synthesize existing client outcome indicators and system performance measures used by Medicaid, mental health, and substance abuse state agencies in purchase of service contracts under managed care. The project is a cooperative effort among four groups: the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD); the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD); the National Association of State Medicaid Directors (NASMD) (under the auspices of the American Public Welfare Association); and the NASMHPD Research Institute, Inc. (NRI) which serves as the management componen t for the project. TheIn fall 1996, a major project was begun to compile and synthesize existing client outcome indicators and system performance measures used by Medicaid, mental health, and substance abuse state agencies in purchase of service contracts under managed care. The project is a cooperative effort among four groups: the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD); the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD); the National Association of State Medicaid Directors (NASMD) (under the auspices of the American Public Welfare Association); and the NASMHPD Research Institute, Inc. (NRI) which serves as the management componen t for the project. The

Doing more with less: state mental health responses to federal mental health policies

This article will concentrate on two areas: an overview of state mental health agency ( S M H A ) financing with a focus on statefederal relationships, and an overview of how the fiscal crisis in the states appears to impact on decision making and management of the S M H A . Informat ion on the first area is derived from a review of statistical data, and perspectives on the second have been extrapolated from personal discussions with various S M H A directors.

Fiscal resource development for state mental health agencies.

What happens when you can no longer rob Peter to pay Paul? The answer--you mandate it under Medicaid. The federal governments expectation that state governments expand community services for persons with serious mental illness continues though its financial contribution declines. This column examines these expectations in the context of state budgets, the federal governments block grant program for persons with mental illness, and the federal governments strategy for responding to homelessness and affordable housing. The federal government fiscal strategy is to enact hundreds of inadequately financed grant programs addressed to the multiple needs of American society. In addition to the financing problem, such a strategy undermines any attempt at coordination, integra-