Heart Forward Conversations from the Heart
The American mental health system is broken beyond repair. Rather than trying to tweak a system which fails everyone, it is time to commit to a bold vision for a better way forward. This podcast explores the American system against the plumb line of an international best practice, recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO), in Trieste, Italy. The 40-year old Trieste model demonstrates how a community-based treatment system upholds the human rights of the people served. The Trieste story is anti-institutional and models the therapeutic value of social connection. Topics will address contemporary challenges in the American failed mental health system as contrasted with the Italian approach toward accoglienza – or radical hospitality – as the underpinning of their remarkable culture of caring for people. Interviews will touch upon how the guiding principles of the Italian system – social recovery, whole person care, system accountability, and the human right to a purposeful life – are non-negotiable aspects if we are to have any hope of forging a new way forward in our American mental health system. This podcast is curated and hosted by Kerry Morrison, founder and project director of Heart Forward LA (https://www.heartforwardla.org/). Heart Forward is collaborating with Aaron Stern at Verdugo Sound as the technical partner in producing this podcast (https://www.verdugosound.com). Kerry Morrison is also the author of the blog www.accoglienza.us.
Heart Forward Conversations from the Heart
Is there anything more complicated than our public mental health funding system? Making sense with Alex Briscoe
This episode tackles the gnarly tangle known as our public mental health funding system. So many questions I had. Why is there a chronic shortage of mental health treatment beds at every step of the continuum? Why do people get released too early from the hospital when they would benefit from long-term care? Why are mental health clinics limited in the services they can provide to their clients? Why are there no measurable outcomes applied to how funds are invested?
I curated ten observations about the system from my vantage point as a concerned layperson and asked Alex Briscoe to respond. He does a masterful job of providing clarification to either refute, affirm or amplify upon these observations.
Alex brings 13 years of experience working at the Health Agency in Alameda County, seven years as director; a $700M agency with over 6,000 staff members. He helps reduce to layman’s terms a complicated system that is tied to very stringent requirements associated with federal Medicaid policy (known as Medi-Cal in California) and compounded by the complications associated with the two different state actions to disburse state funds to localities (referred to as “realignment” in 1991 and 2011). Added to this mix are funds authorized by voter passage of Prop 63 in 2004, otherwise known as the “millionaire’s tax” which funds the Mental Health Services Act.
Alex Briscoe’s current role is that of Principal at the California Children’s Trust and that is where you can reach him. Here is a glimpse into their history and impact.
Articles about Alex, his origin story and his accomplishments in this space
Community health: taking smart steps (sfgate.com)
Behind California’s Troubled Mental Health Care Funding System (imprintnews.org)
General reference sources pointing to public mental health finance
A Complex Case: Public Mental Health Delivery and Financing in California (chcf.org)
CalAIM: Behavioral Health Proposals (chcf.org)
MH-MAA-Implementation-Plan-Revised-7.1.21 (ca.gov)
This interview brings to a close Season Two. This podcast is entirely supported by listeners and supporters of Heart Forward LA, which allows us to maintain an independent voice. Please consider a contribution of any amount to help underwrite Season Three, planned for its launch in January 2022.