Prevention and Early Intervention

The Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) Work Plan is the second largest component of the Mental Health Services Act. PEI is currently in the pre-planning phase of development.

What is Prevention?
Prevention in mental health involves reducing risk factors or stressors, building protective factors and skills, and increasing support. Prevention promotes positive cognitive, social and emotional development and encourages a state of well-being.

What is Early Intervention?
Early Intervention is directed toward individuals and families for whom a short (usually less than one year), relatively low-intensity intervention is appropriate to measurably improve mental health problems and avoid the need for more extensive mental health treatment.

The California Department of Mental Health's Prevention and Early Intervention Planning Guidelines identify five key community mental health needs and six priority populations to focus PEI planning efforts.

Key Community Mental Health Needs

• Disparities in access to services
  PEI efforts will reduce disparities in access to early mental health interventions due to stigma, lack of knowledge about mental health services or lack of suitability, (i.e., cultural competency), of traditional mainstream services.
• Psycho-social impact of trauma
  PEI efforts will reduce the negative psycho-social impact of trauma for all ages.
• At-risk children, youth, and young adults
  PEI efforts will increase prevention and response to early signs of emotional and behavioral health problems among specific at-risk populations.
  
• Stigma and discrimination
  PEI will reduce stigma and discrimination affecting individuals with mental health illness and mental health problems.
• Suicide risk
  PEI will increase public knowledge of the signs of suicide risk and appropriate actions to prevent suicide.

Priority Populations

• Underserved cultural populations
• Individuals experiencing onset of serious psychiatric illness
• Children/youth in stressed families
• Trauma-exposed individuals
• Children/youth at risk for school failure
• Children/youth at risk of or experiencing juvenile justice involvement.

Funding

The estimated allocation to the County of Los Angeles is $91,162,800 through Fiscal Year 08-09. A minimum of 51% of the overall PEI Plan budget must be dedicated to child and transition-age youth (TAY) populations (ages 0 to 25); however, all age groups must be addressed in PEI Plans for large counties such as Los Angeles.

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*Includes community planning funds of $7,074,500.

Community Input

The focus for developing the PEI Plan in Los Angeles County involves engaging the community at the Service Area level. Informational meetings were held in Fall 2007 with each of the eight Service Area Advisory Committees (SAACs) to provide an overview of the State PEI Guidelines and the PEI planning process proposed by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH). LACDMH plans to gather input from community members through key informant interviews, focus groups, and community forums in each Service Area. To get involved or receive emails about the PEI planning process, please send an email with your contact information to mhsapei@dmh.lacounty.gov. Additionally, LACDMH is in the process of initiating meetings with the state's required sector partner organizations (underserved communities, education, individuals with serious mental illness and/or their families, providers of mental health services, health, social services, and law enforcement) to provide information about PEI, obtain sector-specific data, learn about existing evidence-based practices, and encourage participation in the PEI planning meetings. The goal for the planning process is to submit a Los Angeles County PEI Plan by late 2008.