Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation

GUIDELINES FOR

LOCAL SERVICE AREA PLANNING

Department on Aging and Disability Services

and the

Department of State Health Services

Introduction

In accordance with Texas Health and Safety Code (THSC), §533.0354 (Local Authority Planning for Local Service Area), “each local mental health and mental retardation authority shall develop a local service area plan to maximize the authority’s services by using the best and most cost-effective means of using federal, state, and local resources to meet the needs of the local community according to the relative priority of those needs.”

The Local Authority’s Local Service Area Plan is comprised of the current Local Plan, the Jail and Detention Diversion Action Plan and the Provider of Last Resort Plan. The Local Authority must review its current Local Service Area Plan to ensure compliance with state statute in accordance with the FY 2005 Performance Contract Attachment VIII- Local Authority Functions. The Guidelines for Local Service Area Planning (Guidelines) specifically address subsection (d) of §533.0354 and were developed to provide guidance for the review of your Local Service Area Plan.

Methodology

The Local Authority is to review their current Local Service Area Plan using the Guidelines for Local Service Area Plan as a reference document and complete the attached Information Supplement. In accordance with FY 2005 Performance Contract, Attachment XVIII, the Local Authority Information Supplement must be submitted to DSHS Contract Management no later than June 1, 2005. The Local Authority is not required to submit the remainder of the Local Service Area Plan unless the review results in a revision to the current Local Service Area Plan.

I. Community Participation

THSC, §533.0354 (d)(1), specifies that the Local Authority must solicit information regarding community needs from consumers of community-based services and of state schools, representatives of the local community and other interested persons to inform the local service area plan. As local planning involves the input of many stakeholders the process of collecting public input should be a key feature in the planning process. Several popular methods for gathering feedback from the community include focus groups, surveys, and public hearings. Generally, a local authority will use several different methods, locations, and times to collect information from a cross sample of its population.

The description of the community input component should reveal both the methods used to collect the information and the outcomes of the process. Section I of the Information Supplement requests information related to the number of stakeholders who participated in focus groups, public hearings, surveys and other information gathering methods used to solicit community participation in local planning.

II. Planning and Network Advisory Committee

In accordance with FY 2005 Performance Contract Attachment VIII related to Local Authority Functions, section D, the Local Authority, through its local board, is to appoint, charge and support one or more Planning and Network Advisory Committee (PNAC). The role of the PNAC is to reflect the perspectives of consumers, family members and other stakeholders on the provision of services and supports. The PNAC ensures that stakeholders’ input plays a significant role in the local planning and networking process as well as in policy making and service delivery design. It acts as a liaison between the board and community by advocating for community needs, and becoming a catalyst for a broader scope of participation. A Local Authority may develop alliances with other local authorities and establish regional planning and network advisory committees. Local authorities located in areas with small populations that are clustered within a common geographic area with shared ethnic and cultural characteristics may find that regional alliances add value to the planning process while reducing overall cost.

The PNAC must be composed of at least nine members with at least 50% of the membership shall be consumers or family members of consumers. If the Local Authority chooses to have a single advisory committee or to participate in a regional committee, the membership may be larger in order to obtain a sufficient number of representatives for adult mental health, children’s mental health and mental retardation services.

The board shall establish outcomes and reporting requirements for the PNAC(s). Expected outcomes of the PNAC include:

· The PNAC operates according to the charge assigned by the local board; and

· Consumers of adult mental health, children’s mental health and mental retardation services and their families or guardians are represented and their views are explicitly incorporated into recommendations of the PNAC.

Planning and Network Advisory Committee members need support from the Local Authority in order to accomplish their charge. One essential component of this support is providing training to ensure members understand their roles and responsibilities and to assist them in developing skills to be effective committee members. The Local Authority has full discretion in establishing curriculum for the initial and ongoing training for its advisory committee members.

In addition to initial and ongoing training of the advisory committee members, the Local Authority will provide to each PNAC information that the members will need in order to perform the tasks and fulfill the purpose of the committee. When providing information to the advisory committee members, the Local Authority should avoid “information overload” because too much information at one time can be confusing and overwhelming.

Section II of the Information Supplement requests information related to the Local Authority’s PNAC.

III. Planning Considerations

THSC §533.0354(d)(2), specifies that in developing the local service area plan the Local Authority will consider:

A) criteria for ensuring accountability for, cost-effectiveness of, and relative value of service delivery options;

B) goals to minimize the need for state hospital and community hospital care;

C) goals to ensure that a consumer with mental retardation is placed in the least restrictive environment appropriate to the person’s care;

D) opportunities for innovation to ensure that the Local Authority is communicating to all potential and incoming consumers about the availability of services of state schools for persons with mental retardation in the local services area of the Local Authority;

E) goals to divert consumers of services from the criminal justice system;

F) goals to ensure that a child with mental illness remains with the child’s parent or guardian as appropriate to the child’s care; and

G) opportunities for innovation in services and service delivery.

Section III of the Information Supplement requests indication that the Local Authority gave consideration to the identified items in their local service area planning. Although the Local Authority is not required to submit supporting documentation at this time, in accordance with the FY 2005 Performance Contract, section II.E.28, DSHS Contracts Management may request such documentation at a future date.

FY 2005 Local Service Area Plan- Information Supplement

I. Community Participation

For each table below, state the number of people who have participated since the last planning cycle in each of the information gathering methods.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Community Participants	Information Gathering Methods
Community Participants	Focus Groups	Public Hearing	Survey	Other
Consumers
Family Members
Advocacy Organizations
Interested Citizens
Other State Agencies
Local Governance
Other

MENTAL RETARDATION SERVICES

Community Participants	Information Gathering Methods
Community Participants	Focus Groups	Public Hearing	Survey	Other
Consumers
Family Members
Advocacy Organizations
Interested Citizens
Other State Agencies
Local Governance
Other

I. Planning and Network Advisory Committee (PNAC)

Provide a “Yes” or “No” response for each item below.

PNAC Information Items	Yes	No
The Local Authority (LA) has a PNAC.
The LA participates in a regional PNAC.
50% or more of the PNAC membership are consumers or family members of consumers.
The PNAC membership includes family members of children or adolescents.
All PNAC members receive initial and ongoing training.
The LA ensures conflicts of interest are avoided in performing the responsibilities of the PNAC.
The PNAC has established outcomes.
The PNAC receives information necessary to achieve expected outcomes.
The PNAC meets the reporting requirement.

II. Planning Considerations

Provide a “Yes” or “No” response for each item below.

In developing the Local Service Area Plan, the LA gave consideration to:	Yes	No
Criteria for assuring accountability for, cost-effectiveness of, and relative value of service delivery options.
Goals to minimize the need for state hospital and community hospital care.
Goals to ensure a consumer with mental retardation is placed in the least restrictive environment appropriate to the person’s care.
Opportunities for innovation to ensure that the Local Authority is communicating to all potential and incoming consumers about the availability of services of state schools for persons with mental retardation in the local service area of the Local Authority.
Goals to divert consumers of services from the criminal justice system.
Goals to ensure that a child with mental illness remains with the child’s parent or guardian as appropriate to the child’s care.
Opportunities for innovation in services and service delivery.