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On July 11, 2003, SAMHSA and the Administration on Aging (AoA) entered in a
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work collaboratively on supporting States
in their effort to not only improve access, coordination and integration among
health and social support services, but also in shifting the focus of resources
from institutional to increased options in home and community based long term
care. SAMHSA and AoA recognize
that the fragmentation many older adults face in the mainstream health care
system also exists for mental health and substance abuse prevention and
treatment services. Further,
stigma in regard to receiving mental health and substance abuse treatment
services is very strong among older adults, and both agencies are interested in
improving partnerships at the State and local level to better integrate their
services and supports with more common and less stigma-laden programs and
services such as senior centers, nutrition programs, etc. This initiative,
“Policy Academy on Rebalancing Long Term Care Systems Toward Quality Community
Living and Healthy Aging,” is designed to support the President’s New Freedom
and Rebalancing Long Term Care Initiatives, and the Department of Health and
Human Service’s “One Department” philosophy.
SAMHSA, AoA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are
currently working with the National Governors Association (NGA) to implement
this older adult policy academy.
The policy academy, which is scheduled for August 2004, will invite 8
competitively selected states to participate in intensive pre-, during and
post- policy academy activities. As
an outcome, each participating State will develop and/or enhance their aging
adult service infrastructures to increase their capacity to meet the health and
social needs of older adults, including those with substance abuse and mental
health disorders. Additionally,
this initiative will result in a comprehensive and coordinated systems approach
to meeting the home and community based health and social service needs of
older adults.
Invitations to apply to the policy academy were sent to the Governors' offices
in May 2004. After reviewing the applications, NGA announced the names of the
eight States selected to participate. The eight States are Georgia, Idaho,
Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Vermont and Virginia. NGA's press
release regarding the State selection can be found at
http://www.nga.org/nga/newsRoom/1,1169,C_PRESS_RELEASE^D_7044,00.html
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