Impact, Spring 1998 Page: 2
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VIEWP)INTi
his issue of Impact highlights com-
munity involvement with MHMR service de-
velopment and delivery. People from a vari-
ety of backgrounds are joining in planning
for the future of state and local MHMR ser-
vices, overseeing current programs and ser-
vices provided through the MHMR au-hori-
ties, and advocating for appropriate services
and supports for specific individuals.
Our increased focus on planning at the
local level has great potential for strength-
ening the MHMR system. The agency's vision
is of a system that will be a "partnership of
consumers, family members, service provid-
ers and policy makers which creates options
responsive to individual needs and prefer-
ences. " It is exciting and energizing to see
this vision being put into action locally in
new and innovative ways, where stakehold-
ers are coming together to plan local sys-
tems of services to meet individual needs
and preferences in ways that ultimately will
benefit the community as a whole. Cur-
rently, at pilot sites throughout Texas,
stakeholders are shaping the new trends in
local planning outlined by House Bill 2377.
The reshaping of TXMHMR's annual
Helen Farabee Conference underscores the
agency's dedication to increasing stake-
holder involvement in decision-making
roles. This year for the first time, four re-
gional conferences are being held aroundthe state to make the conferences more
accessible. These regional conferences are
training consumers, family members and
others in how to identify and communicate
local needs and priorities. Once identified,
these needs and priorities in turn will have
direct impact on the performance goals of
local MHMR authorities.
In addition to planning, other kinds
of partnerships-some of which are long-
standing-improve the lives of individuals
with mental illness and mental retardation.
In Big Spring, consumers and family mem-
bers have formed a committee to help the
state hospital better meet the needs of pa-
tients and families. In Corpus Christi, state
school volunteer Susan Thiem has turned
her community involvement into a second
career. For many years, Public Responsibil-
ity Committees at facilities across the state
have worked to ensure that the legal and
human rights of consumers are promoted
and protected.
Community involvement and partner-
ships are improving lives. Together, we are
coming closer to achieving the difficult bal-
ance between system-wide uniformity,
which enables us to measure performance
and increase accountability, and empower-
ment of communities and individuals to
shape service delivery to local and indi-
vidual needs.
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Texas. Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Impact, Spring 1998, periodical, Spring 1998; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1588636/m1/2/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.