A policy analysis of California's Mental Health Services Act within Fresno County /by Rena Connie Haggard.

Evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of integrated and recovery-oriented systems of care for people with co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders. The purpose of this study was to analyze the performance of the California???s Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) within Fresno County. The research objective for analyzing the MHSA was to examine whether this policy is performing the way it was originally intended, and whether persons with co-occurring disorders are receiving services that meet their needs. The framework utilized for the MHSA analysis examined the social problem, goals, relevant policies/legislation, program implementation, affected populations, intended impact, and actual impact of the policy. Findings from the analysis indicate that although the intended impact of the MHSA aligns with the actual impact, social problems associated with co-occurring disorders are not significantly reduced within Fresno County