Characteristics of State Mental Health Agency Data Systems

December 2, 2008 State mental health agencies (SMHAs) are responsible for funding and providing mental health services to millions of people every year. The backbone of their service infrastructure is the information technology systems that support functions such as paying providers, assessing clients' access to care, evaluating the quality of care, planning for system capacity, and monitoring outcomes. SMHAs vary widely in their IT system capacities and structures. This report, issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and written by Theodore C. Lutterman, Bernadette E. Phelan, Ph.D . . .