"MINDS ON THE EDGE: Facing Mental Illness Produced by the Fred Friendly Seminars for broadcast on PBS stations nationwide, the one-hour program effectively reveals the personal dilemmas facing individuals and families, the medical practices that can be obstacles to treatment, and the public policies that are falling short." 

Many organizations are using this program for screening events to focus on systemic change. 

To learn more or to request a copy of the DVD, CLICK HERE

The National Council for Community Behavioral Health recently introduced an online Resource Center for Primary Care and Behavioral Health Collaboration at www.TheNationalCouncil.org/ResourceCenter.

The Online Resouce Center Includes:

• Resources and guidelines for working with FQHCs
• Integrated care models and screening tools
• Report on "Person-centered Healthcare Homes for Persons with Serious Mental Illness"
• National Council Magazine on behavioral health and primary care collaboration, includes best practices and stories "From the Field"
• An updated version of the National Council’s acclaimed Four Quadrant Model, a population-based planning framework for the clinical integration of health services.
  

Visit the Resource Center at www.TheNationalCouncil.org/ResourceCenter 

"States have continued to implement Bush-era Medicaid policies on children’s mental health despite a decision by the Obama administration to reverse those policies, according to a new report released today by the Alliance for Children and Families, a coalition of nonprofit health care providers for children in the child welfare system." – Medical News Today online.  Posted  September 4, 2009. 

Click here to read the full article.

Click here to read the full publication by Alliance for Children and Families. 

A $1.4 million gap exists for funding substance abuse and detox services in the State Budget, as reported in a September 5th article in the Durango Herald by Joe Hanel.  Bern Heath, Director of the Southwest Colorado Mental Health Center, describes the fiscal challenges community mental health is facing in light of the State’s revenue shortfalls, and advocates for the prioritizing of funding for mental health and substance abuse services.

Read the full article in the Durango Herald here. 

The University of Colorado at Boulder is planning a series of events to generate awareness of depression, suicide and prevention among college students. 

Click here to learn more about the planned events and to link to more information on the CU website. 

"A 2-year-old program designed to provide medication and monitoring to inmates with mental illnesses has shown the potential to dramatically reduce recidivism among those who participate, according to a new study." -By Kirk Mitchell, The Denver Post