MENTAL HEALTH & SUBSTANCE USE

Mental illness (MI) and substance use disorders (SUDs) affect millions of people, many of whom experience poverty, homelessness, institutionalization, or poor health outcomes. It is well established that access to treatment and to a range of evidence-based practices can help people with MI/SUDs to lead productive, integrated lives in the community — yet it is challenging to navigate the systems involved, which vary by state, county, and even city.

TAC helps organizations and agencies at every level to align systems, leverage resources, and deliver the effective care and services that people with mental illness and substance use disorders need to thrive.

TAC's customized technical assistance includes:

• Working with states and localities to conduct comprehensive analyses of public mental health and substance use service systems to identify needs, gaps, challenges, and opportunities.
• Reorienting systems toward integrated treatment, recovery, community living, expansion of peer supports, and improved access to community-based services through system-wide and inclusive strategic planning efforts.
• Providing expert consultation on the use of housing as a platform to foster and promote community integration, recovery, independence and self-sufficiency.
• Designing and implementing appropriate statutory, regulatory, and financing approaches to foster best practices and to provide incentives for quality and performance.
• Providing workforce training and development to support the delivery of evidence-based and best practice clinical and operational practices.
• Designing outcome and performance measurement and continuous quality improvement systems.