MENTAL HEALTH AND AGING

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MENTAL HEALTH AND AGING ADDRESSING THE EMERGING
CHALLENGE Robert D. Bob Rawlings Rawlings
Consulting Services Edmond, Oklahoma okbobber_at_swbe
ll.net Monday May 7, 2007 1000 a.m. to 1130 a.m.
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What Are the Questions

• Is aging mental health a priority in Your State?
• Are community based services that target older
  adults available and accessible?
• Can older adults obtain state-of-the-art
  treatment and new generation medications?

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What Are the Issues

• Family and Consumer involvement
• Dispelling Stigma
• Older Adult Substance Abuse
• Mental Health Parity with other health services
• Self and organizational advocacy
• Knowing what Grants your state has been awarded.

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WHAT CHANGES ARE EMERGING

• 1999 Surgeon Generals Report on Mental Health
• Positive Aging Act
• Presidents New Freedom Commission
• SAMHSA TRANSFORMATION GRANTS
• System Change Grants Money Follows the Person
• Network of Care Demo

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Do You Know Your State Legislators and Do They
Know You

• As good advocates, we must be involved at the
  policy making level.
• As good advocates, we must make sure our
  legislators understand our issues and depend on
  us for trustworthy information.
• Know your legislative candidates and what they
  stand for. Make sure, BEFORE THE ELECTION you
  know where they stand on issues important to the
  mentally ill.
• If your legislator does not listen to you, just
  CALL THEIR MOTHER!

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Overview

• Working through the maze of the current treatment
  system.
• What are the pieces of the puzzle?

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Agenda

• As advocates for the mentally ill, what is our
  agenda?
• Have we trained consumers to be self-advocates?
• Have we provided peer training for the consumer?
• Do we have prosumers working within our system of
  care?
• What will it take to get us involved?

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Can Older Adults Obtain State-of-the-Art
Treatment and New Generation Medications?

• Many older adults receive their mental health
  care from their primary care physician. Are the
  primary care physicians trained and equipped to
  treat older adults with mental illness?
• Many state Medicaid programs and private
  insurance programs have limited or eliminated
  A-Typical (new generation) medications from their
  drug formularies.
• Are older adults financially able to meet their
  basic needs and obtain all their medications?
• Does your state have an ombudsman program which
  includes mental health consumers?

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FACTS

• There is disparity in most states in their older
  adult mental health services
• Treatment works
• Advocacy works
• Only we can make the difference
• Are you doing your part in advocating for access
  to quality and affordable mental health care

if you can get it
if we do it
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Where to Get More Information

• Older Adult Consumer Mental Health Alliance
  http//www.oacmha.org
• National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging
  http//www.ncmha.org
• Oklahoma Mental Health and Aging Coalition
  http//www.omhac.org
• Florida coalition of aging mental health educates
  the Florida legislator's

Ending