NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition Laying the Groundwork: How to Build Effective Coalitions and Partnerships Ellen C. Schneider, MBA Carolina Geriatric Education Center Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action

Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action… NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition Mental Health and Aging Issues: The Case for Coalition Building “How To” Manual What? Diverse group of organizations that mobilize to improve and increase mental health and substance use services to older adults Why? Resource Coordination--no single agency is responsible Improved Collaboration Professional Development Credibility and Clout Strategic Planning Coalitions Know Their Communities’ Resources and Needs Have Power to Achieve More than One Agency Alone Document available at Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action

Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action… NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition Guam Hawaii Northern Marianas AK MT ID WA CO WY NV CA NMAZ MN KS TX IA WI IL KY TN IN OH MI ALMS AR LA GA FL SC WV VA NC PA VT RI ME NH OR UT SD ND MO OK NE NY CT MA NJ MD DE States with Mental Health and Aging Coalitions 18 coalitions serve the whole state; 23 coalitions serve a portion of the state National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging (2011). State and local mental health and aging coalition survey: Response analysis. Washington, DC

Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action… NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition How to Create and Maintain a Mental Health and Aging Coalition 1.Identify Key Partners 2.Make the Case for MH/SA/Aging in Your Region 3.Create a Planning Group 4.Develop a Mission, Goals, and Objectives 5.Launch the Coalition 6.Sustain the Coalition 7.Reach Beyond the Coalition Membership 8.Evaluate the Coalition and Its Activities Falls and Fall Related Injuries Among Older Adults: A Practical Guide to State Coalition Building to Address a Growing Public Health Issue. Available at

NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition Potential Players and Partners Local and/or state mental health trade (membership) associations Local and/or state aging trade associations Local and/or state health care trade associations Local and/or state long-term care trade associations Professional associations (social work, nursing, psychology, psychiatry, gerontology, etc.) Mental health advocacy organizations Health and long-term care advocacy organizations Consumer/older adult organizations Mental health providers Aging service providers Substance abuse providers Academic institutions Law enforcement Health care providers – primary care, physicians, nurses, hospitals, home care, adult day health centers, etc. Senior housing providers including assisted living and continuing care communities Private practitioners Elder law attorneys Adult protective services Minority advocacy organizations Faith –based organizations Managed care companies Older adults/consumers Family members Business and community leaders Concerned citizens State and/or local government Caregiver organizations Aging advocacy organizations Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging (2011). State and local mental health and aging coalition survey: Response analysis. Washington, DC

NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition Mental Health and Aging Coalition Major Activities Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action National Coalition on Mental Health and Aging (2011). State and local mental health and aging coalition survey: Response analysis. Washington, DC

Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action… NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition NC Mental Health, Substance Use, and Aging Coalition Formed in 2011 Mission: Focus attention on the mental health needs and substance use of older adults, build community capacity, and support advocacy and action. Committees: – Advocacy – Training – Dissemination Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action

Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action… NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition NC MHSUA Coalition Successes Established diverse membership Conducted statewide survey—needs and resources Holding four capacity-building seminars in May-June Promoting the dissemination of Healthy IDEAS Planning statewide symposium in 2014 Created website:

NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition Transylvania Anson Beaufort Bertie Brunswick Camden Carteret Columbus Craven Currituck Duplin Edgecombe Gaston Gates Greene Halifax Harnett Hertford Hoke Hyde Johnston Jones Lee Lenoir Lincoln Martin Moore Nash Northampton Onslow Pamlico Pasquotank Pender Perquimans Pitt Richmond Robeson Sampson Scot land Tyrrell Union Washington Wayne Wilson Alamance Alexander Alleghany Ashe Caldwell Caswell Catawba Chatham Davidson Davie Forsyth Franklin Guilford Granville Iredell Person Randolph Rockingham StokesSurry Vance Warren Watauga Wilkes Yadkin Wake Avery Cherokee Clay Graham Henderson Buncombe McDowell Macon Mitchell Polk Rutherford Swain Madison Haywood Yancey New Hanover Chowan Cumberland Montgomery Stanly Mecklenburg Cabarrus Rowan Cleveland Burke Orange Durham Jackson Bladen Dare Asheville Winston-Salem Raleigh Charlotte Falls Prevention Coalitions Region A Health Promotion Western NC FP Regional Piedmont Area Metrolina Guilford County Chapter of the NC FP Coalition Eastern NC Dare County Greensboro North Carolina Regional and Local Fall Prevention Coalitions

NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition Background on mental health and aging Elements of an effective geriatric mental health advocacy movement The public policy process How to sustain coalitions and advocacy work Many helpful appendices Williams, K., Friedman, M. (2011). Advocacy for geriatric mental health: Action for change. Retrieved February 14, 2013, from Advocacy for Geriatric Mental Health

Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action… NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition How to Create and Maintain a Mental Health and Aging Coalition 1.Identify Key Partners 2.Make the Case for MH/SA/Aging in Your Region 3.Create a Planning Group 4.Develop a Mission, Goals, and Objectives 5.Launch the Coalition 6.Sustain the Coalition 7.Reach Beyond the Coalition Membership 8.Evaluate the Coalition and Its Activities Falls and Fall Related Injuries Among Older Adults: A Practical Guide to State Coalition Building to Address a Growing Public Health Issue. Available at

NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition Ellen Schneider University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action… NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition Example Mental Health and Aging Coalition Activities IA: Online training IN, NY, MA: Statewide conferences MD: Training for nursing home and assisted living staff MD, MA: Guidebooks on elder mental health IL: Legislative committee Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action

NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition Iowa Coalition of MH and Aging 1.Make mental wellness for older adults a priority for public policy makers 2.Promote mental wellness among aging Iowans. Emphasize: Prevention Early intervention Evidence based treatment, and Recovery. 3.Increase the number of qualified providers 4.Integrate health and supportive services to improve accessibility to mental health services for older Iowans 5.Increase the capacity and impact of the ICMHA Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action

Focusing attention, building capacity, supporting action… NC Mental Health, Substance Use, & Aging Coalition MHA Coalition Lessons Learned A concerted advocacy by the mental health and aging community is key. Repeatedly deliver a single message buttressed by empirical evidence. Craft materials in compelling and usable formats and distribute them widely. Be proactive and reactive; get on the radar screen early. Baskin, et al. (2011). Coalitions on mental health and aging: Lessons learned for policy and practice. Journal of Aging and Social Policy, 23, 323–332.