About the Alliance

The Alliance plays an irreplaceable role in convening stakeholders for problem solving mental health and substance use crisis care issues at the systems level. Since 2001, the Alliance has worked as an innovative public-private partnership comprised of counties, hospitals, health plans, consumer organizations, and the state, whose purpose is to measurably improve the crisis system in Ramsey, Dakota, and Washington counties.

The Alliance formed as a result of a system-wide crisis that was sending mentally ill patients far from home to receive inpatient psychiatric care — at great detriment to the consumer’s recovery and great cost to the system. Unfortunately, our crisis system remains challenged by increased demand, decreased access to services and siloed responses. Ideas for system-level care improvements come through a flexible governance structure that establishes work groups as necessary to dig deep on issues and recommend solutions to the 16-member Leadership Team, that then takes responsibility for implementation.

The Alliance insists on participation from all East Metro mental health and substance use crisis system stakeholders – consumers of services, counties, hospitals, health plans, and the state of Minnesota. This Leadership Team has an inclusive governance structure and mandates consumer involvement in decisions to ensure that it makes decisions with everyone involved and is focused on its core mission: Providing the right care at the right time to improve consumer health outcomes and reduce system costs.

Alliance Membership

Counties:
Ramsey, Dakota, Washington

Hospitals:
Regions, United, and M Health Fairview Hospitals

Consumer Organizations:
NAMI Minnesota, Minnesota Recovery Connection, Mental Health Minnesota

Health Plans:
UCare, Medica, Blue Cross Blue Shield, HealthPartners

State of Minnesota:
DHS Behavioral Health

Contact Information

If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health crisis find your local crisis team here.

If you would like more information about the Alliance and how to participate in our efforts, contact Roger Meyer, project director, at roger@mightyconsulting.org