View Innovation Policy

Innovative Planning Programs

Innovation projects aim to explore and develop new mental health models that improve the quality of services, promote service integration and collaboration, and increase access to services or housing, and improve equitable access to services.  Counties must submit proposals to the Mental Health Services Commission for approval prior to expending funding.

Innovation

• Innovation Project 1: Round Valley Crisis Response Project
  • The Round Valley Crisis Response project was designed to learn how Tribal government and County government could work together to find culturally appropriate, client and community driven  crisis response modalities to serve the needs of the Round Valley community.  The intent was to increase access to services for the community and explore what types of crisis response modalities were possible with local “grass roots” “natural helpers” were available in the community to respond to crisis, and what  overlap with more “institutional” type helpers would meet the needs of the community best.  This project was extended from a three year project to a five year project, which is currently in the evaluation and sustainability phase.  Fiscal Year 17/18 through Fiscal Year 21/22.
    
  • Mendocino County Innovation Project 1 Plan March 2017
  • Year 1 Annual Evaluation
  • Year 2 Annual Evaluation - Coming Soon
  • Year 3 Annual Evaluation - Coming Soon


• Innovation Project 2: Healthy Living Community Project
  • The Healthy Living Community project was designed to learn how best to adapt whole person wellness and social rehabilitation model supports to a home environment.  The intent was to increase the quality of health for individuals living with serious mental illness that have been homeless/at risk of homelessness by providing housing based social rehabilitation supports to build skills, increase socialization, and increase overall health and community connectivity. The project hopes to transition “provider” based skills building to peer and community supports.  This is a five year project; implementation was delayed due to Pandemic public health orders.  Fiscal Year 20/21 through Fiscal Year 24/25.
  • Mendocino County Innovation Project 2 Plan
  • Project RFP


• Innovation Project 3: Tech for Trauma - NOT APPROVED BY MHSOAC
  
  • The Tech for trauma proposal was designed learn how to apply virtual reality technologies used in medical health settings in the public mental health setting, in particular to address high rates of Trauma.  The intent was to use virtual reality technology to practice mental health strategies to reduce trauma, anxiety, and depression symptoms.  This project hoped to engage Transitional aged youth (16-25 years old) in treatment that was more approachable, modern, and fun than typical mental health modalities.  This proposal was not approved for implementation by the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission.  The project would require increased collaboration with an educational institution for formal study purposes and resubmission to the MHSOAC in order to be implemented.  Stakeholders have expressed no desire to pursue the project further at this time.
    
  • Mendocino County Innovation Project 3 Draft Plan


• Innovation Project 4: MHSA Issue Resolution Improvement - Stakeholders did not support moving to MHSOAC
  • The MHSA Issue Resolution Improvement proposal was designed to learn how to improve client and community participation in the MHSA Issue Resolution (complaint or problem resolution process).  The Issue Resolution process is a required process for individuals that have concerns about MHSA services to voice their complaint and have a formal response and resolution to the concern/complaint/issue.  Mendocino County, and other county MHSA teams get almost no Issues submitted. This proposal intended to explore strategies to adapt the process to a more consumer friendly process to ensure that complaints/issues/concerns are heard, responded to and addressed.  Stakeholders did not support this proposal being presented to the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission at this time.


• Innovation Project 5: Proposal in Development
  
  • This proposal is in early development stages.  A consortium of local Tribal entities is working together on a learning project around a Native Suicide Hotline.  The consortium is in discussion with Mendocino County MHSA to develop it into an innovation proposal.  This proposal is in early stakeholder feedback phases, and has not yet been developed into a Plan nor presented to the MHSOAC.
  • Mendocino County Innovation Project 5 Plan - Coming Soon


• Innovation Project 6: Proposal in Development
  • This proposal is in early development stages.  A consortium of local Tribal entities is working with Mendocino County MHSA, Indian Child Welfare Act workers, and Mendocino County Children and Family Services on learning whether it is possible, and if so how, to develop a new type of child welfare placement that is Tribally approved, but not individually home based. This proposal is in early stakeholder feedback phases, and has not yet been developed into a Plan nor presented to the MHSOAC.
  • Mendocino County Innovation Project 6 Plan - Coming Soon

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