The Massachusetts
Mental Health Disparities
Model for Young Adults
Ann Capoccia, MSW
Coordinator of Interagency Activities
Massachusetts Department of Mental Health
June 17, 2010
A. An Infrastructure Design for
Young Adults in Massachusetts DMH
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State Mental Health Planning Council
Youth Development Committee
Statewide Youth Coordinator Position
Statewide Youth Advisory Council
Local Youth Councils
B. Disparities in Young Adult
Services & Supports
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MA Young Adult Population
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“Young Adult Portraits of Culture, Diagnosis &
Mental Health Recovery” documentary (funded by
SAMHSA Campaign for Mental Health Recovery
grant)
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Peer Mentoring
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Employment Partnerships
Participatory Research Interns
PhotoVoice Developers
YouTube creations
Speakers Bureau Participants
Cable TV presenters
MA Young Adult Population
Race/Ethnicity
Young Adults
receiving DMH
Services (3,000)
Total Young
Adults in
State of MA
(904,466)
African-American
14%
6%
Hispanic/Latino
10%
9%
Asian-American Pacific Islander
3%
5%
Two or More Races
2%
3%
White
68%
71%
Other
4%
6%
C. Young Adult Policy Team –
Mission Statement
“We are young adults acting on the opportunity to
have our voices heard. As members of the Young
Adult Policy Team, we have lived experience of
mental health recovery & share our recovery
stories. We aim to provide support to each other by
building relationships so that we may gain in
strength & insight through our different
perspectives. We do this so we can advocate for
effective systems changes that:
•Hire peer workers throughout the mental health
system
Photo printed with permission
•Promote awareness of & access to culturally
sensitive services for all young adults & children in
MA, and
•Ask people what they want and whether services
are providing it.”
Young Adult Policy Participation
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Children’s Behavioral Health Initiative (Executive
Advisory Council & 7 subcommittees www.mass.gov/masshealth/childbehavioralhealth )
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Young Children’s Council - Executive Office of Health
& Human Services (EOHHS)
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Council on Recovery & Empowerment (DMH)
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Building Bridges Initiative (SAMHSA CMHS)
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State Mental Health Planning Council
Next Steps (hopefully...)
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“Speaking of Hope: Peers from
Multicultural & Young Adult Communities
Tell their Recovery Stories”
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Grant submitted to SAMHSA’s Campaign for Mental
Health Recovery
Promote recovery related to mental health, addiction &
trauma & change stigmatizing beliefs
Outreach to multiple ethnic communities of young
adults in MA
Includes peer support & coaching on how to share a
recovery story
D. Research, Evaluation,
Advocacy & Training Partners
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Transition to Adulthood – Hewitt B. Clark, PhD & Maryann Davis, PhD
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http://nnyt.fmhi.usf.edu/default.cfm
http://tip.fmhi.usf.edu
http://www.umassmed.edu/cmhsr/TransitionsRTC.aspx
Consumer Quality Initiatives, Inc – Jonathan Delman, JD, MPH, PhD (cand.)
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http://www.cqi-mass.org/
The Transformation Center – Deborah Delman
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www.transformation-center.org
http://www.transformation-center.org/communities/youth/index.shtml
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Peer Mentoring – Kim Bisset, Ed.D., CPRP
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Young Adult Parents – Chip Wilder, LICSW
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Motivational Interviewing – Steven Andrews, LCSW, LADC, CCS
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http://www.hetimaine.org
DMH, Office of Multicultural Affairs – Ed Wang, PsyD
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http://www.mass.gov/Eeohhs2/docs/dmh/p_cultural_action_plan.doc
Thank You!
Ann Capoccia
ann.capoccia@massmail.state.ma.us
617-626-8080