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A series of events has brought high marks for Northland mental health care. Presidential recognition of are students in a Tri-County Mental Health Services program, commencement of Missouri’s first dual-diagnosis effort, and high grades by Tri-County’s own consumers were among the positive results announced in recent weeks. “We’ve been recognized by the state of Missouri, by the president and best of all by our consumers,” noted Tom Cranshaw, Tri-County CEO. “Our staff has worked very hard to make these goals a reality.” The biggest news coverage was reserved for Liberty and Smithville high school students who met with President Bush to announce significant drops in teenage drug use. The two, Liberty High School junior Mallory Hamilton and Smithville High School sophomore Paige Yates, were among only 130 people from the country who were invited by the White House to attend a Presidential Press Conference Dec. 10. Both teens are members of Youth with Vision, the teen advisory branch of the Northland Coalition sponsored by Tri-County Mental Health Services. |
A significant addition to Tri-County services involved its approval as Missouri’s first community mental health center to provide Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment for persons with both mental illness and substance abuse problems. Because of the tendency for mental illness to bring a cascade of personal problems, even attempts at self-medication, dual disorders are tragically common. The approval means that hundreds of area residents can now seek qualified treatment.
The quality of Tri-County programs was underscored with a final announcement, the outstanding results in a survey of its clients who graded the organization’s program quality. Especially high were client ranking of children’s and family services, which earned approval between 95 and 100 percent.
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