Mental Health Resources In Alabama
Alabama has a population of approximately 4.8 million people. Close to 4.1% of adults in Alabama live with serious mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression.
Public mental health services in Alabama are administered and provided by the Alabama Department of Mental Health. Substance use and addiction treatment services are overseen by the Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
Only 43.5% of adults with mental illness in Alabama receive any form of treatment from either the public system or private providers . The remaining 56.5% receive no mental health treatment. According to Mental Health America, Alabama is ranked 46 out of the 50 states and Washington D.C. for providing access to mental health services
Medicaid is a combined state and federal program that provides health coverage to people with low income, including those who are unable to work because of a mental health disability. Residents of Alabama can apply for Medicaid through the Alabama Health Marketplace.
Alabamas #1 Health Indicator
The concern for mental health and substance abuse moved to number one from its previous second highest rank in the 2015 survey. According to the World Health Organization , mental health is the state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community . Mental health affects an individuals mood, emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Family history, biological factors, and life experiences influence mental health. The most common mental health illnesses are anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorders .
Disproportionately Affected Populations
Groups at a higher risk of having a persisting mental illness are veterans, individuals who have experienced traumatic events early in life, and individuals in abusive relationships or families. In the past 20 years, mental illness rates have been rising. While more services are available, rural and minority populations are still underrepresented due to access to care and social stigma .
Geographic Variation
Health outcomes can vary over regions based on the populations and the opportunities to self-manage care. For mental health concerns, the Northeastern Public Health District had the highest suicide rate in 2019. This area also had the highest substance abuse diagnosis prevalence in Medicaid recipients in 2018.
Alabama Department Of Mental Health
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| www.mh.alabama.gov |
Alabama Department of Mental Health is the state agency responsible for serving Alabama citizens with mental illnesses, intellectual disabilities, and substance use disorders. The department was formally established by ACT 881 in 1965.
Annually, ADMH serves every single person in Alabama through a broad network ofcommunity mental health services and three state-operated facilities: Bryce Hospital, , and Taylor Hardin Secure Medical Facility. The ADMH has the office of Deaf Services, directed by Steve Hamerdinger, that aids in providing culturally affirmative services to people who are deaf and hard of hearing.
The central office, located in Montgomery, consists of management and support personnel that facilitate all of the mental health services statewide. Budget management, planning, legal representation, advocacy, consumer empowerment, information technology, and certification are but a few of the functions conducted by the 35 offices and/or bureaus operating in central office. Less than thirteen percent of the 1,300 ADMH employees are housed at central office included are the Commissioner and staff, as well as the Associate Commissioners for each division. Most ADMH employees are medical and direct care staff that work in facilities.
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Alabama Mental Health And Substance Abuse Highlights
The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare information only have limited claims data, which do not cover the total population. Data are also retrieved from ADPH Center for Health Statistics, ADPH Office of Primary Care and Rural Health, ADPH Office of Emergency Medical Services , the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System , and the National Center for Health Statistics:
- In 2019, suicide was the twelfth leading cause of death in AL.
- In 2018, 38.8 percent of the adult Medicaid population-initiated rehabilitation treatment within 14 days of being diagnosed with an alcohol or drug dependency.
- The suicide mortality rate is almost more than four times greater for males compared to females .
Alabama Department Of Corrections Picks New Medical Mental Health Care Provider
The Alabama Department of Corrections has picked a health care company to negotiate with on a three-year contract for comprehensive medical and mental health services at its 26 correctional facilities.
The ADOC picked YesCare Corp., based in Brentwood, Tenn., over four others that responded to a request for proposals that ADOC issued on April 8. The other companies were Centurion, Vital Core, Wellpath, and Wexford Health, the current provider.
ADOC Commissioner John Hamm said an RFP committee reviewed the five proposals and picked YesCares based on a combination of quality and overall cost. The ADOC did not disclose any cost figures. All proposals and the results from the RFP review committee will be public record once the contract is finalized, the ADOC said.
YesCare has more than 40 years of correctional health care experience at more than 475 facilities, the ADOC said. Health care staff working for Wexford Health, the current provider, will be offered employment under the new contract.
The ADOC expects contract negotiations to take several weeks. The three-year contract is scheduled to take effect Oct. 1.
The ADOC is mired in an eight-year-old federal lawsuit over the medical and mental health care it provides inmates. U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson ruled in 2017 that the states mental health care was horrendously inadequate. The court remains involved in overseeing efforts by the state to increase staffing and improve care.
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Alabama Department Of Mental Health Division Of Mental Health And Substance Abuse Services Prevention Evaluation
Alabama Department of Mental Health, Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services was awarded Block Grant funding from SAMHSA to support substance abuse and mental health prevention and treatment services. PIRE is contracted to provide evaluation services to AL DMHSAS related to the prevention portion of the SABG which includes the delivery of evidence-based individual, community, and environmental strategies to address substance abuse prevention throughout the State. The evaluation uses a multi-method approach to determine if local and state efforts lead to changes in substance misuse and risk and protective factors associated with substance misuse.
Projects
Mental Health Professional Ii
- Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States
- Closing at: Feb 10 2023 at 22:55 CST
Pay Grade/Pay Range: Based on Qualifications
Department/Organization: 208185 – Brewer Porch Children’s Center
Normal Work Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm limited nights & weekends and on-call rotation
Job Summary: The Mental Health Professional II provides clinical services to clients and fulfills specific clinical and supervisory functions. Some of the primary responsibilities include providing clinical services, completing client assessments and case management. The MHP II may exercise clinical oversight and supervision, serve as a liaison among stakeholders and provide significant discipline-specific and agency-wide leadership on clinical matters.
Required Department Minimum Qualifications: Doctoral degree in Psychology and licensure as a Psychologist in the State of Alabama OR Master’s degree in a mental health-related field and two years of mental health experience. Licensure in the state of Alabama as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker , Licensed Professional Counselor , or Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist .Must be able to perform crisis intervention techniques. Final candidates who are not current Brewer-Porch Children’s Center employees must submit to and successfully pass a post-offer drug screen. Must successfully complete the Alabama Department of Mental Health mandated training for the Child and Adolescent Needs Assessment tool.
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