Become a Resource Advocate

The El Paso County Co-Occurring Disorders Collaboration or "The Collaborative," managed through the Mental Health America of Pikes Peak Region, is developing a new service that will provide integrated care for uninsured and under-insured adults with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders. Health and human service providers from multiple agencies are collaborating to provide integrated mental health and substance abuse services in an effort to:

• Provide consumer-driven and person-centered services
• Improve access to and quality of community services
• Implement a system with flexible resources
• Recruit and train Resource Advocates to provide peer support
• Develop collaborative planning, evaluation and accountability among agencies

Shared Vision

Individuals with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse will have timely access to seamless, culturally competent treatment that enables them to achieve the outcomes they desire regardless of ability to pay.

Target Population

• Adult ages 18 - 64
• Uninsured or underinsured
• El Paso County resident
• Must have mental health and substance use/abuse disorders
• Need access to community services

Overview of Co-Occurring Issue

• Substance abuse is the most common and clinically significant comorbid disorder among adults with severe mental illness.
• Studies show one out of two individuals with severe mental illness has the additional problem of a substance use disorder.
• People who are affected by mental illness use substances for the same reason people without mental illness do.
• People with co-occurring disorders have a much better chance of recovery from both disorders when they receive integrated mental health and substance abuse treatment.
• For every one dollar invested in treatment, there is an average return of five dollars in reduced crime, criminal justice costs, emergency room use and inpatient care.

Become a Partner of The Collaborative

For more information contact:

Dee Drake, Project Director
(719) 633-4601 ext 199
dee@pppartnership.org

or

Connie Allen, Resource Advocate Coordinator
(719) 633-4601 ext 112
connie@pppartnership.org