MHMRA of Harris County - Annual Report FY 2012 2012 | Page 12
Investing in Healthy Minds and a Healthy Community
Leveraging Support
At MHMRA, improving the lives of the people we serve is at the core of our mission. This is why we work diligently every day to
develop and implement services that meet our consumers’ needs. As part of this vision, we have developed a system of integrated
services and partnerships with multiple community organizations throughout Harris County to strengthen our services.
In FY 2012, we worked with approximately 400 community partners – from non-profit organizations to local businesses – and
developed multiple innovative ways to improve the lives of the people we serve. We also contracted with multiple entities to help ensure
the delivery of adequate, high-quality services. In FY 2012, our service contracts totaled almost $40 million. Highlights from our
partnerships include:
•
Patient Assistance Programs, or PAP, offered by
some pharmaceutical manufacturers, allowed
us to distribute free medications to patients
who were financially eligible. Because PAPs
saved us more than $29 million by providing
prescriptions at no cost to MHMRA or our
consumers, we were able to redirect those
funds to providing other critical services.
•
The opening of an El Centro de Corazon
primary care clinic inside our Southeast
Mental Health Outpatient facility created an
integrated health care setting that provided
our consumers the ability to access primary
healthcare and mental health services in one
location. Approximately 2,000 adults and 800
children received integrated services at this
facility each month for a period of over one year.
•
The Houston Chapter of the National Alliance
for Mental Illness (NAMI) celebrated the
grand opening of the Support, Education,
and Advocacy (SEA) Center, which is housed
at MHMRA’s Eligibility Center. It is the only
Center of its kind in Houston that provides
one-on-one information about mental illness
and available community resources. When
an individual’s situation doesn’t meet the stateestablished criteria to receive MHMRA services,
the individual has an opportunity to visit the
SEA Center to learn about alternative options
and services. In FY 2012, SEA Center staff
and volunteers received around 15 referrals
from MHMRA each day, and 50 to 80 phone
inquiries each week.
•
Through strategic partnerships with
local businesses and government agencies, our
Collaboration for Action program provides mentor
opportunities for mental health patients to compete
for jobs in the workplace. This past year, CFA
celebrated patient recovery along with the Mayor’s
Office of People with Disabilities and the Houston
Commission on Disabilities by unveiling a colorful
mural showing “The Faces of Disability” - people who are
actual clients celebrating their achievements.
•
Over 1,800 attendees gathered for Picnic in the
Park - an event that provides Harris County families
an opportunity to enjoy a day of fun activities and
learn more about different community organizations
that provide services for people with Intellectual
and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Over 100
volunteers and representatives from multiple Harris
County organizations made this festival possible. Food
and drinks were provided by MHMRA’s IDD Planning
Advisory Council, and Harris County Commissioner
Steve Radack, among others. That day, the Houston
Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities presented
MHMRA with a proclamation from Houston Mayor
Anise Parker to declare April 21, 2012 as MHMRA
Picnic in the Park Day.
• One of the newest additions to MHMRA’s community
collaborations is the Houston Police Department’s
Homeless Outreach Team (HOT). This is a specialized
group of Houston police officers and a MHMRA
case manager from our Comprehensive Psychiatric
Emergency Programs Division who engage in
outreach to individuals who live on the streets.
Since the creation of HOT, more than 200 homeless
individuals have been moved into housing.
Through informative and enjoyable activities, vital day-to-day supports, crisis care, and more, MHMRA works to meet the evergrowing needs of the Harris County community. With limited funding, we can only do so much. Our community partnerships are a
crucial extension of the services Harris County residents need. Thanks to our community partners we are able to do more with what we
have, and though the challenges are pressing, our determination is to continue to strive for a healthier Harris County, for the benefit of
our families and our community.
12| 2012 Annual Report| MHMRA of Harris County