Department of Mental Health
E. Douglas Varney, Commissioner

Overview

The Division of Planning, Research & Forensics oversees and coordinates general mental health policy development and implementation throughout the department and for service areas. The responsibility for the development of public mental health policy is accomplished through staff assigned to the various stages of development and includes:

• Departmental planning, including developing the Three-Year Plan, the F&A Strategic Plan, the Mental Health Community Services Block Grant Application, the Implementation Report for the MH Block Grant, and coordinating the statewide Planning and Policy and the Regional Planning and Policy Councils.
  
• Research to support decision making and evaluation of services
  
• Oversight of outpatient and inpatient forensic and juvenile court evaluations
  
• Development and update of controlled substance rules