CREATING INTEGRATED SERVICE SYSTEMS FOR HOMELESS PERSONS WITH MENTAL-ILLNESS - THE ACCESS PROGRAM

The Access to Community Care and Effective Services and Supports (ACCE SS) demonstration program was initiated in 1993 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of a national agenda to end home lessness among persons with serious mental illness. Demonstration proj ects have been established in nine states to develop integrated system s of care for this population. This paper provides an overview of the ACCESS program and presents definitions of services integration and sy stems integration, Evaluating the effectiveness of integration strateg ies is a critical aspect of the program, The authors describe the eval uation design and the integration strategies being evaluated and summa rize findings from a formative evaluation of the project's first two y ears. The evaluation revealed several problems that were addressed by providing technical assistance to the states. States were helped to ar ticulate a broader mission of addressing system-level barriers, develo p an expanded plan, strengthen the authority of interagency councils, involve leaders at the state and agency level, and develop joint fundi ng strategies.