The State of Maine Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation in Augusta established a pilot regional mental health board, the Southern Maine Regional Mental Health Board.

This board, consisting of mental health care consumers and their families, community members, and paid professional staff, assumed local responsibility for planning, provision, and oversight of mental health care services.

Key Results

• The Maine Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation created the Southern Maine Regional Mental Health Board to serve as the public mental health authority for York and Cumberland Counties.
• The Southern Maine Regional Mental Health Board, under contract with the state:
  • Developed a regional mental health plan.
  • Designed a resource allocation process.
  • Allocated system resources.
  • Began administering regional mental health services in July 1995.
• Based on consumer and family opinions and preferences, the Southern Maine Regional Mental Health Board developed a three-year plan that:
  • Created a network of services.
  • Prioritized services based on consumer preferences.
  • Established quality criteria for service delivery.
  • Expanded financial resources to purchase services.

Funding

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) supported the project with a grant of $119,680 between December 1994 and June 1995. The grant was funded through the national program office for Replication of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Programs on Mental Illness.