LOUISIANA Community Mental Health Services Block Grant ...

In the area of consumer empowerment, OBH has supported a variety of activities that aid consumers
and their families. These supported activities include employment, housing, and education as
described earlier. Activities also include the provision of financial and technical support to consumer
and family organizations and their local chapters throughout the state. Self-help educational
programs and support groups, funded by the Mental Health Block Grant are organized and run by
consumers or family members on an ongoing basis. For example, BRIDGES, modeled after the
Journey of Hope program for family members, is a consumer-run enterprise, providing education
classes and support programs throughout the State of Louisiana.
In addition to the above activities, OBH hires parents of EBD children and adult consumers into State
jobs as either consumer or family liaisons. These individuals assist other consumers and families to
access services as well as provide general education and supportive activities such as accessing
consumer and/or family care resources. Consumer resources include flexible funds that families and
consumers can utilize to address barriers to care and recovery, in unique ways for that individual or
family situation.
The Office of Behavioral Health partially or fully funds numerous Consumer Resource Centers (also
called Drop-In Centers) that provide not only socialization opportunities, but activities designed to
enhance both social and pre-vocational skills. Job Clubs that prepare consumers to seek employment
by offering classes on job search, resume-writing, interview role-playing, etc. are a feature at many of
the Resource Centers. Technical skills, such as computer literacy are also offered at Resource
Centers. Outreach and homeless services, recovery and education classes, case management are
often a part of the offerings at the centers. Many of these Consumer Resource Centers are consumer
run or administered; and further, all consumer focused services are consumer and family driven.
Region/
LGE
Consumer Resource Centers FY 2010
# of Consumer
Resource Centers
Block Grant
Funds
Total Funding
Includes SGF&
other sources
FY 08-09
#served
unduplicated
Number Served*
MHSD 1 Center 0 $66,394 756
CAHSD 1 Center $27,700 $130,000 81
III 2 Centers $70,836 $292,974 250
IV 2 Centers $47,550 $97,550 188
V 2 Centers $29,700 $35,690 189
VI 3 Centers $32,646 $123,555 535
VII 1 Center 0 $249,984 88
VIII 3 Centers $$61,160 $187,051 438
FPHSA 1Center 0 $200,000 38
JPHSA 1 Center 0 $28,356 84
Totals: 17 Programs $208432 $1,411,554 2647
PART C LOUISIANA FY 2011 PAGE 120
SECTION III: ADULT PLAN – CRITERION 1
COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY-BASED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES -- SYSTEM OF CARE & AVAILABLE SERVICES