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/01116' <br /> ALoc lip. ASSESSMENT OF ORANGE COUNTY <br /> HD MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE <br /> ABUSE SERVICES <br /> AN ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY ASSETS AND NEEDS IN ORANGE COUNTY, NC <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> The North Carolina Institute of Medicine (NCIOM) stated in an October 2016 publication <br /> that"mental health and substance use are at the forefront of health policy issues today, <br /> both at the national and state levels, due to rising visibility of the costs of not addressing <br /> mental health and substance use treatment needs" (NCIOM, 2016). North Carolina's <br /> transition to a managed care system 15 years ago brought fresh challenges for local <br /> officials seeking to implement comprehensive, coordinated community-based prevention, <br /> treatment, and recovery services to meet the needs of their residents. Though progress is <br /> evident in some areas, NCIOM reported that this level of care "remains an elusive goal for <br /> many North Carolinians with mental health and substance use disorders." <br /> Like the rest of North Carolina, Orange County struggles to meet the need for mental health <br /> and substance abuse services for residents, especially those ages 0-25. This assessment <br /> was initiated by the Orange County Health Department (OCHD) to determine what barriers <br /> professionals face as they seek to refer county residents to mental health and substance <br /> abuse treatment services. The results of this assessment will be shared with the Board of <br /> County Commissioners prior to their strategic planning session in January 2017. <br /> According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the majority of <br /> adolescents in North Carolina with mental health and substance use needs do not receive <br /> treatment services. Orange County is home to more than 141,000 residents, including up to <br /> 2,200 residents aged 3-17 that are currently being treated for these conditions through the <br /> managed care organization Cardinal Innovations. In Orange County, hospitalization records <br /> from 2009-2015 demonstrate the percentage of visits due to mental health for youth 0-24 <br /> years is increasing as a proportion of all mental health visits (an increase from around 18% <br /> to 24% of all mental health visits). Data from the same period show that between 27% and <br /> 31% of all mental health visits for 0-24 year olds are a result of mental and behavioral <br /> disorders due to psychoactive substance abuse. <br /> OCHD sought a clearer understanding of the extent patients in the 0-25 age group have <br /> access to resources for prevention and early intervention, as well as follow-up care and <br /> other support systems for recovery. Simultaneously,we sought to identify the areas where <br /> these services could be improved by pinpointing significant barriers to treatment. UNC <br /> Master of Public Administration student Sabrina Willard conducted the assessment from <br /> August to November 2016. Ms. Willard interviewed ten prominent figures in the mental <br /> health community, surveyed more than 150 individuals based in the fields of healthcare, <br />