MHAAC - FERC - Alameda County - NAMI

Question 1

How many NAMIs are there in Alameda County?

Answer 1

5 chapters

Question 2

What is Prop 63 / Mental Health Services Act?

Answer 2

Passed in 2004

1% tax on personal income over $1 million
Designed on expansion and transformation of county mental health

Question 3

What is MHAAC (Mental Health Association of Alameda County)?

Answer 3

Independent nonprofit organization - since 1958
Serving people with mental illness and their families
Independent local affiliate of MHA California AND Mental Health America.

Question 4

What two broad kinds of activity does MHAAC support?

Answer 4

1. Direct assistance to people with mental illness and their families via several programs
2. Public education and policy advocacy

Question 5

What does FERC do?

Answer 5

A family and caregiver-centered program offering information, education and support to family/caregivers for any person of any age with mental illness in Alameda County.

Fremont, Oakland, Livermore

Warm line
Education/training/support for caregivers

Question 6

What is the Family Caregiver Advocacy and Support Program?

Answer 6

Supports family/caregivers for loved ones with mental illness being treated at John George Psychiatric Hospital or the criminal justice system.

Question 7

What is the Family Partnership Program?

Answer 7

Helps families who are caring for a child/children with mental illness. Offers education and peer support. Helps family navigate agencies in Alameda County as well as school systems.

Family Partners have lived experience caring for a child with mental illness.

Question 8

What is the Patients’ Rights Advocacy Program?

Answer 8

Responds to questions/complaints from patients treated in psychiatric hospitals, halfway homes or other board/care homes who feel that one or more of their rights has been denied. Can also receive calls from concerned family members or friends.

Question 9

What is the Consumer or Family Assistance Office?

Answer 9

Helps people who are using, or can be using, Medi-Cal mental health services. They receive problems/complaints and work to resolve the problems.

Question 10

What is the Capacity and Certification Review Hearing Representation Program?

Answer 10

Assists 5150 patients being considered for 5250 AND patients whose right to refuse antipsychotic medication is in question.

Question 11

How did FERC come to be?

Answer 11

Born out of an inclusive process led by families and consumers themselves. Supported by ACBH during plan development after prop 63 funds.

Roots in the families movement in the 1970s. They fought for better mental health treatment, provided information and peer support, advocated for improved systems of care and family participation in consumer’s treatment.

Question 12

Who is James Wagner? In Alameda County Behavioral Health?

Answer 12

Deputy Director, ACBH

Question 13

Who is Aaron Chapman? In Alameda County Behavioral Health?

Answer 13

Medical Director, ACBH

Question 14

Who is Kate Jones?

Answer 14

Director of Adult/Older Adult System of Care

Question 15

Who is Rosa Warder?

Answer 15

Family Empowerment Manager

Question 16

What are the 5 NAMI Chapter locations?

Answer 16

Trivalley DPL (Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore)
Alameda County ABO (Albany, Berkeley, Oakland)
Alameda South SO (South Oakland)
NAMI East Bay
NAMI Chinese

Question 17

What are the 5 FERC Values?

Answer 17

Support
Education
Resource
Advocacy
Hope

SERAH

Question 18

What is the difference between dual diagnosis and co-occurring disorders?

Answer 18

Dual diagnosis = mental illness + substance abuse

Co-occurring = mental illness + mental illness

Question 19

What is Laura’s Law?

What are the criteria for a person to have Laura’s Law applied to their case?

Answer 19

Sustained intensive court ordered treatment for people with severe mental illness AND repeated hospitalization/history of violence. Assisted outpatient.

Must be 18+ years
Suffering from mental illness
Be unable to survive safely in the community
Must have history of mental illness, previous hospitalization or violence to self/others

Question 20

What funding stream funds FERC?

Answer 20

Community Services and Supports

Question 21

What is NAMI?

Answer 21

Grassroots association - all volunteers
National chapters
Run support groups for peers and families
Provide education on mental illness

Question 22

What are 6 unique differences to FERC?

Answer 22

1) Ability + staff to follow up on consumer
2) Community based
3) Serving Alameda County only
4) We have a contract and must present stats
5) We focus on the family
6) All staff have lived experience

Question 23

What is the difference between CBT and DBT?

Answer 23

CBT is REWIRING – deprogram negative habits and reprogram better ones - providing coping mechanisms

DBT is SKILLS - teaches skills in understanding what and how to understand what is around you

Question 24

What are 3 ways that CBT helps PTSD?

Answer 24

1) Exposure therapy
2) Cognitive restructuring
3) Stress inoculation

Question 25

What are the 5 Outpatient Levels of Care?

Answer 25

Level I
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
Level 5

Question 26

What is the Level I Outpatient definition?

Answer 26

Severe and persistent mental illness with issues in function significant enough that the person cannot function or care for themselves. History of multiple and lengthy hospitalization due to chronic illness.

Very severe Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, Bipolar I, and Major Depressive Disorder with symptoms of psychosis.

Needs frequent and intensive services: case management, crisis intervention and medication support.

Question 27

What is the Level 2 Outpatient definition?

Answer 27

Moderate-to-severe mental illness, intensive services as needed. History of episodic hospitalization or acute services.

Level 1 IF individual has some stability; Bipolar II, severe to moderate Major Depression without psychosis, severe OCD and severe PTSD.

Services as needed: case management, check ins, crisis intervention, problem solving assistance, counseling and SUD services.

Question 28

What is the Level 3 Outpatient definition?

Answer 28

Mild to moderate mental illness with at least ONE significant impairment in function (difficulty keeping appointments or managing routine, inconsistency in medications). Includes all illnesses in DSM IV.

Services needed: weekly outpatient therapy, support with evaluations and medications.

Question 29

What is Level 4 Outpatient definition?

Answer 29

Mild to moderate presentation of symptoms which sometimes interfere with daily life or treatment routine.

Primary care setting.

Behaviorists can provide direct services like evaluations, short-term treatment, education and connections/referrals to other specialists.

Question 30

What is Level 5 Outpatient definition?

Answer 30

The need for information and referral services ONLY

People who need help/support/info that generally are able to manage daily life.

Examples of referrals: FERC, educational materials, domestic violence resources, primary prevention service.