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ISSUE: ACCESS TO MENTAL
HEALTH MEDICATIONS
STATEMENT: Access to medications is imperative for people
with serious mental illness and addiction. Due to research in the
last decade, new medications have been developed that can have
better outcomes and fewer side effects for individuals with serious
mental illness. Studies have shown that by saving money on drug
costs and changing medications from newer to older, states have
spent more money on costly services such as crisis care and hospital
services in the long run. In the process, quality of life for individuals
is impaired and the individual may not fully recover to the functioning
level that they had achieved after switching medications solely
for the purpose of saving money.
The Mental Health America of Indiana will work to ensure that
persons with mental illness and addiction have access to the most
appropriate medications, whether they are provided by Medicaid,
DMHA, DOC, county jails, private insurance, or by any other payer
source or in any other setting.
PRIORITY LEVEL I
ISSUE: FORENSIC ISSUES
STATEMENT: Mental health, addictions and corrections issues
often overlap and persons with mental illness and/or addictive
disorders fall through the cracks in our criminal justice system.
The system itself does not recognize mental health or addictions
as an important issue that must be understood and treated. Our
correction facilities are inadequate for persons with a mental
illness or addictive disorder.
MHAI will advocate for a comprehensive change in our system so
as to provide for a continuum of mental health and addictions treatment
for forensic patients, both juveniles and adults. The continuum
must include: a statewide pre-& post-conviction program with treatment
for individuals charged with misdemeanors and non-violent class "D" felonies;
a statewide community corrections program with a mental health
and addiction treatment component; and a forensic facility designed
to treat forensic patients that includes access to appropriate
mental health medications. Further, police and correction officers
must receive adequate mental health and addictions education and
programming.
PRIORITY LEVEL II
ISSUE: MENTAL HEALTH AND
ADDICTION FUNDING
STATEMENT: According to an actuarial study conducted by
Mercer, there are 228,971 persons in need of services from the
Division of Mental Health and Addiction at 200% of poverty level
while 153,477 people are not receiving services from the Hoosier
Assurance Plan. While there was a funding increase for mental health
and addiction programs in the last biennium, much of it was taken
away due to the current state fiscal crisis. Until the previous
biennial budget, the funding for the Division had been flat-lined
for a number of years and as a result, has created a net deficit
in funding due to cost of living increases and inflation. It is
imperative that the Division of Mental Health and Addiction budget
for community services not be cut, and increased if possible. The
huge gap that currently exists between the need and the services
provided already has left the system in crisis.
The Mental Health America of Indiana will work to insure that
mental health and addiction services are not further reduced due
to the state's funding crisis, and increased if possible. Further,
MHAI shall encourage the state to actively seek additional funding
options to enhance mental health and substance abuse services.
PRIORITY LEVEL II
ISSUE: SUBSTANCE ABUSE
INSURANCE
STATEMENT: Full health insurance coverage is typically
available to provide coverage for patients with diabetes or cancer,
and now for persons who have been diagnosed with a mental illness.
While SAMHSA studies show the cost of substance abuse parity to
be minimal, the Indiana legislature has only supported the concept
for state employees and limited the private sector to a mandatory
offering.
MHAI will work for full substance abuse parity legislation that
prohibits the discrimination of insurance coverage against persons
in need of treatment for substance abuse, who have insurance through
the private sector.
PRIORITY LEVEL I
ISSUE: INCREASE ALCOHOL
TAX
STATEMENT: Mental Health and Addictions treatment is significantly
under funded in Indiana. MHAI supports additional alcohol taxes
and recommends that a portion of this additional funding be utilized
to support mental health and addictions treatment services. Specifically
a significant amount of these funds should be allocated to address
these already identified gaps in addictions services: detoxification,
residential, adolescent, vocational rehabilitation, women and children,
and compulsive gambling, as well as SMI, SED and Forensic programs.
MHAI will work for revenue enhancements to support mental health
and addictions treatment.
PRIORITY LEVEL II
ISSUE: PERSONAL INCOME
DISREGARD FOR SNAP
STATEMENT: It is the public policy of the state of Indiana
to further adoptions of special needs children with mental health
needs. Oftentimes, the mental health needs of these adoptive children
require significant financial commitments on the part of the adoptive
parents. The financial responsibility that may be incurred may
place a financial burden on the parents such that appropriate mental
health services might not be accessible. Further, this financial
burden may prevent parents from seeking special needs adoptions.
MHAI will support legislation to seek a Medicaid Waiver to disregard
income of adoptive parents for special needs children for mental
health services.
PRIORITY LEVEL I
ISSUE: SYSTEMS OF CARE
STATEMENT: The Dawn Project, initiated by the Mental Health
Association in Marion County, is recognized in Indiana and nationally
as a best practice for children and infants. Legislation promoted
by the Mental Health America of Indiana and implemented by DMHA
expanded Systems of Care throughout much of Indiana. Still, 48
counties remain without Systems of Care grants and those counties
with Systems of Care projects do not have the resources to provide
the mental health services required.
MHAI will support additional funding to expand Systems of Care
throughout Indiana as well as the resources required for the needed
mental health services.
PRIORITY LEVEL I
ISSUE: FSSA
STATEMENT: The manner in which the state bureaucracy, which
provides government services to persons with mental illness and
addiction, is organized is critical to its service provision. FSSA
was created to better coordinate government policies and services.
As a result of the reorganization, the Division of Mental Health
and Addictions has lost a great deal of authority over its budget
and policymaking. Decisions are sometimes made without the expertise
of DMHA.
MHAI supports organizational changes such that DMHA regains greater
authority over its budget and policymaking, and any reorganization
would place DMHA at a peer level with DOH and/or Medicaid as independent
agencies or in one umbrella health agency.
PRIORITY LEVEL: II
ISSUE: CHILDREN, YOUTH
AND JUVENILE MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SCREENING POLICY
STATEMENT: The prevalence of mental illness, addiction
and serious emotional disorders in children and youth under age
18 is oftentimes not adequately or appropriately diagnosed. At
the same time, the efficacy of early treatment for mental illness,
addiction and serious emotional disorders is proven and the benefits
have been demonstrated.
The Mental Health America of Indiana supports and will work to
guide and create, consistent with recommendations made by the President's
New Freedom Commission and the Surgeon General, opportunities for
systematic, standardized and regular screening of children and
infants at risk for mental illness, addiction and serious emotional
disorders and youth in any and all appropriate settings, including,
but not limited to: early child care and education, public and
private schools; juvenile courts; and primary care settings.
PRIORITY LEVEL: I
ISSUE: MANDATORY RESPONSIBLE
ALCOHOL SERVICE TRAINING (RAST)
STATEMENT: RAST is an educational program that provides
owner, managers, bartenders, and wait staff with the skills necessary
to serve alcohol responsibly. The goal of RAST is to decrease the
number of illegal sales to minors and intoxicated patrons with
a training program.
All persons serving alcohol, regardless of age, should receive
responsible alcohol service training to ensure that every effort
is made not to serve alcohol to minors and to not over serve customers,
which can result in drunk driving. MHAI also recommends that managers
and owners receive training for that they can ensure proper policies
and procedures are in place for legally and responsibly serving
alcohol.
PRIORITY LEVEL: II
ISSUE: FAMILY AND CHILDREN
FUND
STATEMENT: The Family and Children's Fund, with $217 million
levied in county funds for 2003, pays for services for children
who have been adjudicated as a child in need of services (CHINS)
or a delinquent child. The fund's primary expenditures are for
residential treatment, therapeutic foster care and adoption assistance.
In addition, the funds may pay for informal adjustments, service
referral agreements or adoption services.
This fund needs to be exempt from the growth caps and limits on
the banking of unused tax levies that were imposed after the passage
of SEA 1 in December 2003.
