One community's response to the multi-system service needs of individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities

Individuals with mental illness and mental retardation often fall between system and agency service cracks. This paper describes some of the barriers individuals and communities confront in developing new or expanding existing services to meet the needs of this population. It then describes how one community initiated multi-system collaboration in its delivery of crisis intervention services, community mental health center services and specialized short-term residential living. By increasing the multi-system services available to individuals with dual diagnosis at the community level, fewer individuals encountered placement failure and re-institutionalization.