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The Mental Health Association is engaged in advocacy on issues which directly affect you. All MHA committees are open to any interested person. Mental Health consumers and family members are especially encouraged to participate.
- Suicide Prevention Initiative and Mental Health Education in Schools Project. MHA and our community partners have embarked on major initiatives to provide mental health education in schools and to provide a "Toolkit for Youth Suicide Prevention" The Youth Suicide Prevention Coalition meets monthly. Join us in coordinating suicide prevention initiatives such as SOS, Jason Foundation, Yellow Ribbon, and in organizing education efforts. Contact us to be placed on the list for either or both of these committees. See "Suicide in Tarrant County: A Joint Report to the Community from MHA and the Tarrant County Public Health Department" for information about suicide in Tarrant County. Go to MHA’s information & referral service for local resources and support groups.
- Justice Coalition on Offenders with Mental Impairments meets quarterly. Items being discussed include Pre-Sentencing Release programs, Mental Health Courts, Pre-Arrest Diversion, police training and Juvenile Justice. The next major initiative of JCOMI will be related to reintegration of people with serious mental illness who are being returned to the community from prison or lengthy jail sentences.
- Special Report to the Community (2002)- "People with Mental Illness in the Tarrant County Criminal Justice System: Issues and Recommendations". Included in this report is a description of MHA's Special Needs Officer Program, which has provided training to over 3,000 law enforcement officers in Tarrant County and assists officers with diverting people with special needs from arrest into treatment.
- Mental Health and Aging Coalition meets quarterly at the MHA office. Educational opportunities are offered every other meeting, with the intervening meeting being a networking, discussion and general work session. The Coalition has developed and presents such programs as:
- Suicide Prevention Planning
- Depression and Aging
- Understanding Depression and mental illnesses for long term care staff
- Using federally mandated screening tools for nursing home residents
- who have mental illness (PASARR)
- Minimizing relocation stress for older people
Please call MHA if you would like to participate in the Coalition, would like to help in presenting the above programs to the community, or would like to have one of the programs presented to a group.
- Mental Health and Insurance Coverage: MHA takes an active role in advocating for issues related to Medicaid, managed care, and general insurance parity.
- Individual Advocacy: If you are dealing with insurance providers, schools or employers, MHA may be able to assist you with personal advocacy to overcome problems and barriers. Please contact us if you have questions or needs.
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