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