Stakeholders’ Meeting on
Dual Diagnosis Services and Supports
On September 30th, Pennsylvania’s
Health Care Quality Units (HCQU) hosted a state-wide stakeholders’
meeting as part of the Dual Diagnosis Services and Supports project
funded by the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council.
At the meeting, findings of focus groups and consensus meetings conducted
across the Commonwealth were presented. In addition, workgroups were
formed to begin developing a roadmap for improved services and guide project
efforts going forward.
Nearly one hundred stakeholders gathered in Mechanicsburg for a full-day session.
Opening speakers included Secretary Estelle Richman, Department of Public Welfare,
Deputy Secretary Kevin Casey, Office of Developmental Programs (ODP), Sherry Snyder,
Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse (OMHSAS), and Graham Mulholland,
Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council.
Participants were encouraged by the speakers to continue their work to improve
services and supports for people with intellectual disabilities who also have
mental illness.
On behalf of the HCQU Coalition, Dina McFalls, Director of Philadelphia Coordinated
Health Care, presented a summary of findings of the focus groups and consensus
meetings. During the afternoon, four workgroups met to develop goals or mission
statements and to begin identifying action steps for ongoing work. The four
workgroups include: 1) Access to Behavioral Health Services; 2) System
Integration (ODP & OMHSAS); 3) Public Awareness; and, 4) Education.
These areas
represent the summation of input from over 500 people during the focus groups and
consensus meetings held in Year One. Each workgroup will be chaired by two HCQU
directors: Group 1 by Lynn Libby and Joanne Cook; Group 2 by Dina McFalls and
Kevin McElligott; Group 3 by Star Long and Heather Coleman; and, Group 4 by
Sharon Falzone and Mary Nau. Each group determined an agenda based upon the
themes that were presented as their focus and each group will establish various
projects to undertake over the next year. Updates of group progress will be
reported throughout the year.
For more information, please contact Philadelphia Coordinated Health Care at
(215) 546-0300 ext. 3685.