MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

The reduction in size of the Elgin Mental Health Center required Mental Health Services to increase its community-based services. Based on discussions with MHS staff and consumers, MHS increased a variety of services: Community beds were added; a second Assertive Community Treatment team with a Mentally Ill/Substance Abuse focus was established; the capacity of the Crisis Center was expanded and the intensive linkage case management was increased. MHS takes great pride in its management of the successful transition from the Elgin Center downsizing and the continued service to DuPage County consumers.

The Partnership for Behavioral Health, the planning and service group of community providers, completed nearly a full year of providing services to consumers recently diagnosed with depression. A six-month study by Dr. Robert Rydman showed clinical improvement in these clients and the establishment of an effective model of community communication and planning.

DuPage County is among initial sites to establish a MISA consortium of service providers to substance abuse clients. This effort, in its third year, was recently recognized as a model program by the Advisory Group, Inc., which is a Washington, D.C. think-tank focusing on the healthcare industry.

MHS annually hosts graduate psychology interns. In 2002, MHS made a strategic move by becoming an authorized site for these students. The group grew from two to four students, which requires more supervision and stipends, but also allows for national recruiting. Two interns work with adults and two with children and adolescents.

The Health Department and MHS were invited to make presentations on issues in the forefront of Chicago’s collar counties to the President’s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, which convened in Chicago.

Community education activities were increased greatly, including well-attended public and professional presentations by Cait Irwin, the author of “Conquering The Beast Within.”

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