To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Mental Health
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Resolution to Change the Name of Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services - Mental Health (DHHS-MH) to Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services - Behavioral Health (DHHS-BH)
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Adopt the attached Resolution to change the name of the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services - Mental Health (DHHS - Mental Health) to the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services - Behavioral Health (DHHS - Behavioral Health);
2. Recognize Emi Botzler-Rodgers, LMFT, as the Director of DHHS - Behavioral Health; and
3. Authorize a fund name change from Mental Health Fund to Behavioral Health Fund.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Behavioral Health Fund
DISCUSSION:
Behavioral health is an inclusive term that includes both Substance Use Disorder Services and Specialty Mental Health Services. The term is currently used at both the state and federal level. At the state level, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Medi-Cal Behavioral Health Division administers, oversees, and monitors the Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health Services and Drug Medi-Cal programs, with leadership provided by a Behavioral Health Deputy Director. At the federal level, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the US Department of Health and Human Services changed the name of their biannual report from Mental Health, United States to Behavioral Health, United States in 2012. SAMHSA explained this change in the Introduction to the report as follows:
The current volume has changed in several ways from the previous volume... The term ‘behavioral health’ encompasses both mental health and substance use, and thus the title of the volume has been changed to Behavioral Health, United States, 2012. (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2013, p. 1)
A name change to Behavioral Health would align with federal and state naming conventions, and would accurately reflect the integration of Specialty Mental Health Services and Substance Use Disorder Services at Humboldt County DHHS.
The term behavioral health is less stigmatized than the term mental health. Behavior is an aspect of identity that can be changed. Behavioral health conveys a sense of positive personal growth, while mental health is more often associated with chronic illness. In their 2004 essay “Changing Conceptualizations of Mental Health and Mental Illness: Implications for ‘Brain Disease’ and ‘Behavioral Health’ for Social Work,” Melissa Floyd Taylor and Kia J. Bentley discuss the benefits of using the term behavioral health:
‘Behavioral health’ issues are normalized in that most people are seen as dealing with them throughout the life span on a regular basis. Rather than objective diagnosis and treatment by an expert with a passive ‘patient,’ the emphasis in the ‘mental health as behavioral health’ model is collaborative education and prevention. The person being served must be an active and responsible participant in her or his rehabilitation and does this by embracing new knowledge and skills. (Taylor, M. F. & Bentley, K. J., 2004, p.8)
A name change from mental health to behavioral health expresses a shift in focus from illness to wellness, and conveys the connotations of hope, change, and recovery.
Therefore, DHHS - Mental Health recommends that the Board adopt the attached resolution to change the name of DHHS - Mental Health to DHHS - Behavioral Health.
References
Department of Health Care Services. (2020). DHCS Division Descriptions February 2020. Retrieved from Department of Health Care Services website: <https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/Documents/DHCS-Divison-Descriptions.pdf>
Department of Health Care Services. (2019). Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Services Reorganization. Retrieved from Department of Health Care Services website: <https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/Documents/MHSUDSReorg_SAC_052319.pdf>
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2013). Behavioral Health, United States, 2012. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 13-4797. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Taylor, M. F. & Bentley, K. J., 2004, Changing conceptualizations of mental health and mental illness: Implications for “brain disease” and “behavioral health” for social work. Social Work in Mental Health, 2(4), 1-16.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The administrative work required to facilitate the change will be completed by current DHHS staff. There will be no associated funding impact to the General Fund.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by fostering transparent, accessible, welcoming and user friendly services.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County of Humboldt DHHS - Employee Services; County of Humboldt DHHS - Information Systems; County of Humboldt DHHS - Claims Data Management
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board discretion.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution to Rename DHHS - Mental Health to DHHS - Behavioral Health.
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: N/A
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: 20-342