Mental Health Association In Pennsylvania

Programs: Mhapa provides individual and systems advocacy. Individual advocacy through independent advocates is provided at all the state operated mental health and juvenile justice facilities. In fiscal year 2016-2017, we had 2,026 client contacts in the juvenile justice facilities and 10,008 client contacts in the mental health facilities. We also provide rights trainings in each of the facilities for clients and facility staff. As part of a four organization consortium, mhapa has federal marketplace health insurance navigators who help individuals and their families to understand and look for health insurance coverage options, and complete eligibility and enrollment forms. We also conduct outreach and provide information via social media, attendance at conferences and conduct presentations. We reached approximately 3,000 people in fiscal year 2016- 2017. Mhapa provides behavioral health navigators who assist anyone seeking information and guidance for mental health and/or substance abuse services and support. This program fielded approximately 500 calls and email inquiries in fiscal year 2016-2017. Mhapa staff participate in the state's review of residential treatment facilities by interviewing the youth receiving services in the facilities. We participated in 12 reviews in fiscal year 2016-2017, interviewing approximately 300 youth. Mhapa provides workshops/trainings on a variety of topics including state of the mental health system in pa, client rights, mental health advance directives and recovery. We conducted six presentations/workshops reaching approximately 200 individuals in fiscal year 2016-2017. Mhapa also provided approximately 1,500 printed guides to assist people in completing mental health advance directives. Mhapa works to reduce stigma by conducting the i'm the evidence/mental health campaign which is a grassroots campaign to raise awareness that everyone can positively impact the lives of people in mental health recovery. To date we have 715 campaign ambassadors who use our campaign tools to reduce stigma in their neighborhoods. Mhapa uses social media, website and alerts to provide information, promote events and support the work of our partners. Mhapa publishes an electronic newsletter (newsfeed)quarterly. We reach approximately 1,900 people through our data base, facebook and twitter posts.