33-2-102 - Goals and purposes of mental health care system. - Tennessee Statutes

33-2-102. Goals and purposes of mental health care system.

(a)  Within the limits of available resources, it is the goal of the state to develop and maintain a system of care that provides a comprehensive array of quality prevention, early intervention, treatment, habilitation and rehabilitation services and supports that are geographically available, equitably and efficiently allocated statewide, allowing people to be in their own communities in settings, based on the needs and choices of individuals and families served.

(b)  The state's purposes are to:

     (1)  Establish and sustain a broad range and scope of flexible services and supports across the domains of residential living, working, learning, community participation, and family support, including crisis, respite and other emergency services, that help service recipients maintain respected and active positions in the community; and

     (2)  Promote the early identification of children with mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, developmental disabilities, and developmental delay to assure that they receive services and supports appropriate to their developmental level and changing needs.

(c)  The general assembly finds as facts that the needs of persons with mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, and developmental disabilities cannot be met by the department in isolation and that those persons need to receive services and supports that are integrated, have linkages between and among other human service agencies and programs, and have mechanisms for planning, developing, coordinating, and monitoring services and supports to meet their needs.

[Acts 2000, ch. 947, § 1.]