Mental Health Initiative

Regional centers are required to access generic resources for their consumers when available. More than 20% of regional center clients have a diagnosis of mental illness. More than 20% of regional center consumers are prescribed psychotropic medication. Unlike the developmental services system, access to California’s mental health services system, operated by the counties, is not an entitlement. The state and the nation are lacking in the expertise necessary to effectively diagnose and treat the mental health problems experienced by regional center consumers. In recognition of the limits on the staff and financial resources of both the regional centers and county mental health agencies, ARCA offers a number of services to regional centers intended to address the mental health needs of the people we serve. Those initiatives include:

  1. Serving as an information resource for the ARCA membership on legal, policy, and resource issues affecting services with the co-occurring disorders of mental illness and developmental disabilities. ARCA uses consultants – Joan Hoss, former Mental Health Director for Sutter-Yuba Counties, and David Riester, former director of Central Valley Regional Center – for research and assistance on mental health and forensic issues.
  2. Providing support to the activities of the Mental Health/Developmental Services Collaborative, the Forensic Committee and the Community Placement Plan Committee.
  3. Organizing conferences, funded by a Mental Health Services Act grant administered by DDS. The conferences are intended to promote and facilitate collaboration between mental health agencies and regional centers.
  4. Analyzing proposed legislation related to mental health and forensic issues with implications for people with developmental disabilities.
  5. Monitoring state policy developments in efforts to secure federal revenues to finance services and supports for people with co-occurring disorders.
  6. Interacting with the criminal justice system on issues related to alleged victims and perpetrators of crime who are eligible for the services of regional centers and/or county mental health agencies.