Change Lives and Tell the World A presentation to the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission By James P. Mayer Executive Director, New California Network (Former Executive Director, Milton Marks Little Hoover Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy)

Restore Lives, Restore Public Confidence  Tremendous progress so far and are headed in the right direction.  Important to do one-year assessment.  The Commission’s role is essential …  … and it is cutting-edge governance.

This is a Critical Moment  Californians do not think their money is well spent.  Progress results from increasing productivity.  The public expect public agencies to be responsive, competent and accountable.

CA Government Must Evolve  Public programs must focus on results.  Program strategies must rely on evidence- based best practices.  Outcomes must be measured and publicly reported.  Data must be used to refine policies and practices.

Potential Benefits  Barriers to improvement will be identified – and movable.  Outcomes will be improved.  The public’s confidence will increase.  Success will be replicated in other services.

Typical Challenges  Multiple agencies involved with muddled authorities.  Budget and policy-making practices are not performance-based.  Inadequate data and evidence-based practices.  No leverage to move resources to where they will do the most good.

Specific Challenges  The trappings of a stakeholder board.  The variety of functions.  The inexactitude of hierarchy.

Challenges as Opportunities  Be clear, precise and persistent about goals and objectives.  Align functions, internal organization, and standards of practice to goals.  Define collaborative relationships predicated on a commitment to results.  Generate trust with a culture of integrity, transparency and accountability.

Toward Accountability  All Californians are your audience and consider them shareholders.  Sync up the knowledge that guides your responsibilities: reviewing, approving, advising, reporting and educating.  Integrate efforts to educate people about mental illness with credible information on the effectiveness of responses to mental illness.

Conclusion  All eyes are on Proposition 63: Will this make a difference and was it worth it?  The Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission can be the new breed of state agencies that drives improvement.

This is a Critical Moment There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. Niccolo Machiavelli