A New Agenda for Optimizing Investments in Community Mental Health and Reducing Disparities
Year: 2022
Type: review
Abstract: The Biden-Harris Administration's FY22 budget includes $1.6 billion for the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant program, more than double the FY21 allocation, given the rising mental health crises observed across the nation. This is timely since there have been two interrelated paradigm shifts: one giving attention to the role of the environmental context as central in mental health outcomes, the other moving upstream to earlier mental health interventions at the community level rather than only at the individual level. An opportunity to reimagine and redesign the agenda of mental health research and service delivery with marginalized communities opens the door to more community-based care interventions. This involves establishing multisector partnerships to address the social and psychological needs that can be addressed at the community level rather than the clinical level. This will require a shift in training, delivery systems, and reimbursement models. The authors describe the scientific evidence justifying these programs and elaborate on opportunities to target investments in community mental health that can reduce disparities and improve well-being for all. They select levers where there is some evidence that such approaches matter substantially, are modifiable, and advance the science and public policy practice. They conclude with specific recommendations and the logistical steps needed to support this transformational shift.
Source: American Journal of Psychiatry
Language: English
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: Latino Youths Coping with Discrimination: A Multi-Level Investigation in Micro- and Macro-Time, The UCLA HIV/AIDS, Substance Abuse, and Trauma Training Program, A dimensional approach to understanding emotional neglect and its impact on children's psychosocial development: A mixed methods study, Adverse childhood experiences and alcohol misuse in Latino adolescents: testing biopsychosocial and cultural mechanisms.
OpenAlex ID: W4281396505