Darrell Steinberg asks Californians to pay twice for same program. Fails Mentally Ill

On December 19, California Senate President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg asked for more money for Mentally Ill Offender Crime Reduction Grants.

If Prop 63/MHSA funds were spent as legislatively required, no new funds would be needed. MHSA already specifically earmarked funds for this. MHSA Sec. 5813.5 (f) says:

Here's what's in the new "Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis" Act

(Left-Representatives Leonard Lance of New Jersey,  Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a medical doctor, and Congressman Tim Murphy (Psychologist)  introduce the "Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act" HR 3717 12/12/13). 

Call your Representative and ask him/her to support HR 3717. To find your Rep phone number, enter your zip code at http://www.opencongress.org/people/zipcodelookup 

BACKGROUND

SPENDING AND SCOPE OF PROBLEM

In 2014, the U.S. will spend $203 billion on mental health. Due to mission-creep, the funds are now spent ‘improving mental health’ rather than treating those with serious mental illness. Moms who have children known to be seriously mentally ill are virtually powerless to see they receive care. While the public becomes aware of the failure of the mental health system after high-profile rare acts of violence, the everyday tragedies faced by people with serious mental illness and their families go unnoticed.

Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) Lacks Independent Verification and is not Evidence Based

WRAP labeled as 'evidence based' by SAMHSA. 

But is it?

When we ask “is a program evidence-based’, at Mental Illness Policy Org we break that question down into three components:

1.  Does it help people with serious mental illness (ex. schizophrenia, bipolar, major depressive disorders) or is it a program designed to improve the mental health of anyone who feels their mental health can be improved. 
2. Does the program improve a meaningful outcome? To be evidence based, we require it to improve a meaningful independent measure such as reducing suicide, homelessness, hospitalization, violence, substance abuse, arrest, incarceration, etc. Self reports of greatier happiness (“improved mental health”) are not sufficient or unique to WRAP
3. What is the quality and independence of the research.

WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) has been certified by SAMHSA National Registry of Evidence Based Practices and Programs (NREPP) as an evidence-based intervention. This certification encourages states to implement it. But the evidence is not clear that WRAP improves any meaningful measure like decreasing hospital days, decreasing incarceration, decreasing homelessness or that it is for people with serious mental illness. The certification of unproven programs leads states to waste money.