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History

HISTORY

In 1999, the Planning, Research and Evaluation (PRE) Division of the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (Authority) was charged with creating an approval process, and making recommendations to the Authority's Executive Director for approval of research and evaluation initiatives. The Research Advisory Committee was established to carry out the review and approval process, and was co-chaired by the Authority Director, the PRE, and a university researcher. It was originally staffed by the PRE Division Administrator for Research, and more recently has come under the purview of the Authority's Medical Director. Committee membership included representatives from the Authority, universities, consumer advocacy groups, service providers and foundations. The RAC has met monthly since its inception. Many protocols for research in Wayne County have been reviewed by the RAC over the last decade and some of those are referenced in this report.

In 2006 and 2007, Wayne State University Project CARE designed and conducted an Evidence Based Practice (EBP) Readiness Assessment across representative Wayne County mental health providers. This process yielded structured and interview-based data that provider agencies could use to determine how ready they were to implement EBPs. WSU Project CARE shared the overall findings of this study with the RAC, which offered recommendations to improve the process and use the data effectively.

In late Fall 2008, the RAC participated in an Authority Needs Assessment to prepare its response for the Application for Renewal and Recommitment (ARR) issued by the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH). Members of the RAC engaged in a structured inquiry fashioned after a SWOT analysis to identify Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats regarding research in Wayne County and produce a set of recommendations for the Authority with respect to research activities. The SWOT analysis also helped to focus the RAC research agenda discussed below. (See RAC SWOT Summary in the Appendix for SWOT analysis results and recommendations.)

In 2009, the RAC invited Steve Batson from the Michigan Recovery Center of Excellence and Felicia Simpson from DWIHN to discuss the survey on Recovery-Enhancing Environment (REE). They provided information about the REE and the Authority's plan for data collection, and invited the RAC to assist the Authority in interpreting the data. The RAC will continue to work with the Authority on the REE as it is implemented.

In collaboration with the Community Planning Council (CPC), an Authority advisory body of stakeholders, WSU Project CARE conducted an epidemiology study on the prevalence of mental illness and the utilization of services in Detroit-Wayne County to aid in system planning. Early in its development, the study was presented to the RAC for discussion, feedback and recommendations. The final design and methodology included three phases:

  1. Geographical analyses of utilization patterns for all public mental health service populations in Detroit-Wayne County (children, adults, seniors and people with DD);
  2. Prevalence estimates using updated census data and representative national studies for the population at or below the poverty line and;
  3. Projection of prevalence and service utilization over five years.

The study was completed in 2009 and subsequently was presented to the community.

In 2009, the RAC renewed its commitment to ensuring that consumers have a voice in CMH research and evaluation by recruiting consumers to serve as active RAC members. One consumer eagerly assumed this responsibility and active recruitment is continuing for additional consumer members.

The RAC has reviewed many proposed studies involving Wayne County consumers over the years, and the subsequent research has expanded the empirical database for a number of high impact community mental health programs including: Services for the Treatment of Early Psychosis (STEP), Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), Parent Management Training (PMTO) and Emergency Care. Going forward, the RAC will promote dissemination and integration of findings from these approved research protocols to the widest possible audience of stakeholders, consumers as well as providers, with the ultimate goal of increasing the appreciation for research as fundamental to good care, treatment outcomes and recovery.