Mono County Behavioral Health Innovation Plan Approved

Prop 63 Logo

This fall, California's Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission approved Mono County Behavioral Health (MCBH) to launch its new Innovation plan: the Eastern Sierra Strengths-Based Learning Collaborative. Inyo and Alpine Counties will be joining MCBH in the Collaborative, which will train staff on best practice strengths-based services. At its core, the Strengths Model trains providers to focus on clients' strengths as a path toward recovery. Indeed, the six principles of the strengths model include: 

  1. People with psychiatric disabilities can recover, reclaim and transform their lives
  2. The focus is on an individual’s strengths rather than deficits
  3. The community is viewed as an oasis of resources
  4. The client is the director of the helping process
  5. The relationship is primary and essential
  6. The primary setting for our work is in the community

The Strengths Model is an evidence-based practice proven to impact client outcomes such as housing, employment, financial stability, and hospitalization. Throughout the course of the two-year Collaborative, learning sessions will rotate between each of the three counties, with facilitators traveling to provide instruction. It is the goal of the Collaborative to not only improve client outcomes and offer professional development opportunities to staff, but also to improve the partnerships between these three tiny Eastern Sierra counties. 

MCBH's Innovation plan is funded through the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63), which provides Behavioral Health Departments across California with funds for general mental health services, prevention and early intervention programs, workforce education and training, capital facilities, and innovative new projects like this one. In order to spend its Innovation dollars, counties must go through an intensive application and approval process. Mono County Behavioral Health is thrilled to be embarking on this new project with its neighboring counties.

To learn more about the Mental Health Services Act and view MCBH's Three-Year Plan (including its Innovation Plan), please click here.