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By Phyllis Hanlon
In August, Rhode Island bid farewell to its long-time Department
of Mental Health, Retardation & Hospitals (MHRH) director when A.
Kathryn Power, M.Ed., assumed responsibilities as director of the
Center for Mental Health Services at the Substance Abuse and Mental
Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Congressman Patrick Kennedy
(D-RI) nominated Power for the post last September when the former
director accepted another federal government title. Power replaces
Gail Hutchins, the interim director.
For nearly 13 years, Power served as cabinet official under three
governors, working diligently in the mental health arena. "I believe
passionately in supporting people with disabilities. I'm able to
live my values through my work and that for me is a tremendous accomplishment,"
she says.
During her tenure, Rhode Island led the way in a number of areas,
notably combining mental health and substance abuse services under
the umbrella of behavioral health. "We've developed some licensing
standards in behavioral health that are very unique for the country,"
Power says. "We've also done some very innovative programming both
in mental health and substance abuse."
The state created mobile health teams, one of the "most creative
and innovative ways to provide services to people in the community
with mental illness," according to Power. Also leading the country
in support programs for those with addictions, Rhode Island instituted
several initiatives, particularly methadone treatment programs.
Under Power's direction, Rhode Island incorporated three state
hospitals into a single, integrated, long-term chronic care hospital.
Efforts under her leadership have focused on "building recovery
into all of our programs as the core principles around which we
operate and around which we believe people will become better,"
she explains. In order to finance these programs and initiatives,
Power and her office have worked closely with the federal government
to obtain funding.
In her new role, Power will adhere to SAMHSA director Charles Curie's
goals of prevention, stigma reduction and resiliency building in
relation to mental illness. Results of the report from the President's
Commission on Mental Health Services will drive future programs,
she says. "My sense is that that will be the direction-setting document
for mental health services."
Power adds that her Center will collaborate with SAMSHA's Center
for Substance Abuse Treatment. "We're giving out grants that are
promoting the kinds of services that integrate mental health and
substance abuse care because so many people have those problems
simultaneously," she says.
Trauma treatment in the wake of terrorism will be another focal
area, Power adds. "The Center for Mental Health Services is looking
to provide disaster relief planning and a focus on how do you give
the citizens a skill set of emotional resiliency when we are living
in this kind of world."
In addition to directing policy, Power will guide the distribution
of significant grant funds that are dispersed across the country
to promote appropriate access and recovery in mental health services.
To date, Power's successor has not been named.
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