The Planning Council periodically publishes reports on significant mental health issues. The following reports are currently available. Note: If you are unable to access a pdf document from this site, please contact the Planning Council office by phone at (916) 654-3585 or email at dmhpc@dmh.ca.gov.

• Recommendations to Strengthen Mental Health Services for Military Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families - January 2008 . This report was developed in response to the large numbers of military personnel and their families who are experiencing mental and emotional health problems resulting from service in Iraq and Afghanistan. - 07/02/08
• Foster Care Study Report - October 2007 This report was developed pursuant to a statutory mandate that the California Mental Health Planning Council review and monitor the implementation of counties' efforts to improve the provision and quality of mental health services to foster children.
• Analysis of Data: State Hospital Seclusion and Restraint Data  - State hospitals collect data regarding use of seclusion and restraint and walking restraint. This is a summary of that data.
  
• Partnerships for Quality: California's Statewide Quality Improvement System -This paper describes the quality improvement system functions and oversight roles. It also describes the roles and responsibilities of each group in the public mental health system involved in quality improvement activities. The last section discusses future activities that the California Mental Health Planning Council proposes to undertake regarding this project.
  
• California Mental Health Master Plan: A Vision for California - This document is a revision to the California Mental Health Master Plan, which was originally published in 1991. The Master Plan provides a vision for the mental health system in California. In addition to covering each system of care, the Master Plan also documents unmet need for mental health services, implementation of managed care, and system oversight and accountability.
  
  
• A Guide for Developing Mental Health Components in High School Academies - This guide encourages the development of local partnerships among local mental health employers and education programs that will result in the establishment of mental health components in high school health academies and other education programs, creating a workforce pipeline that attracts youth, especially from ethnically diverse backgrounds, into pursuing mental health careers.
  
  
• Consumer and Family Member Employment in the Public Mental Health System - This document was developed by the Human Resources Project Consumer and Family Member Task Force to promote the employment of consumers and family members in the mental health system.
  
  
• Recommendations to Improve the Administration of the MHSIP Consumer Survey - This report studies the extent of clinician involvement with the Mental Health Statistics Improvement Program (MHSIP) Consumer Survey, an instrument used to obtain unbiased client opinions on the level and quality of care provided by clinicians.
  
• Housing for California's Mental Health Clients: Bridging the Gap - This report addresses the housing shortage in California for mental health clients. It makes recommendations to alleviate the problem and provides information on model programs and resources.
  
  
• Human Resources Pilot Ethnic Focus Group Project: Summary of Recommendations - The outcome of a series of four pilot focus groups with social work professionals and academics from various ethnic populations in California, the purpose of which was to identify barriers that are keeping ethnic students from choosing social work as a profession and to develop strategies to overcome these barriers.
  
  
• Expanding the Use of Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners in Behavioral Health Settings: Resource Materials - These resource materials provide behavioral health care administrators, physicians, direct consumers, and family members with a general understanding of a psychiatric nurse practitioner's education, scope of practice, and expertise.
  
• Report on Mental Health Professional Shortage Area Designation - This report summarizes the data from a survey of counties having a Mental Health Professional Shortage Area (MHPSA) designation conducted by the Mental Health Planning Council in the fall of 2000.
  
• Capacity of Postsecondary Education to Produce Graduates for Human Services Employment - This report presents data on the number of students attaining degrees and certificates from postsecondary institutions that could lead to employment in human services professions.
  
  
• Report on County Mental Health Board Composition , 1999 - This report summarizes results of a study on mental health board composition conducted in 1998 by the Planning Council to assess whether mental health boards and commissions were in compliance with their statutory requirements for composition.
  
  
• Recommendations to Improve the Process Governing Transfers Out of Mental Health Accounts , 1999 - County governments are able to transfer up to ten percent of funds deposited in mental health accounts to other accounts in their local health and welfare trust funds established by realignment. The Planning Council conducted a study of these transfers made in fiscal years 1994-95 through 1997-98 to ascertain whether county governments were complying with the statutory requirements governing these transfers. This report summarizes the findings and recommendations of this study.