The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

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Comment regarding quality and technology

I do think your priorities sound great! However re: #6 and #7 --
Local Consumers are again expressing concern, as they did in the 1990's, about the dangers of the widespread use of technology and computer systems and data which seriously compromises their confidentiality.

They are organizing to advocate--but we don't have enough staff to support their efforts!
There are many examples of this problem, but here are 2 from my experience here at MHA/Maui.

Under Quality AND technology
1) A consumer who has been repeatedly turned away from our Maui Mental Health Center--had bad experiences with the way they were treated even trying to qualify and maybe at the assessment too (possibly had to go through Hawaii Disability Rights Ctr. to finally gain access--but were too mistrustful to go to our MH Center or talk with their staff--calls our crisis or ACCESSLINE (or I call for them because their homeless and suicidal) and they or I are told that they "refused services"--which simply means that they were trying to manage their anger with the last MH Center or ACCESSLINE staff who yelled at them and they quietly turned and walked aways (I have seen this and heard them being yelled at on our telephone).

2) An answer to a letter of complaint through the existing channels is copied to so many involved Depts. and State or State funded agencies that they will all know the family or person involved in their many community roles--even if their name is NOT mentioned in the reply to the letter. (We are a small State and a semi-rural islande and we all wear so many hats! It is important for our roles as advocates or as family members not to impact on our jobs, for example.)

I hope this consumer/family perspective with our Maui experience helps your planning.

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    AnonymousAnonymous shared this idea  ·   ·  Flag idea as inappropriate…  ·  Admin →

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