State Health Lawmakers' Digest: Mental Health and Aging (Vol. 3, No. 1), Digging Deeper

DIGGING DEEPER

American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (http://www.aagpgpa.org) provides news, facts, tools and expert information for adults coping with mental health issues & aging, materials for the medical community and other professionals with an interest in geriatric mental health. The Web site also provides an online catalog of AAGP news, policy reports, events and background information on geriatrics and mental health.

American Psychological Association's Office on Aging (www.apa.org/pi/aging) serves as an information and referral source on mental health and aging issues for policy makers, professionals and the public. The web site provides publications and resource guides on a variety of mental health issues, and relevant research findings regarding the provision of appropriate mental health and behavioral health services for older adults.

Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law (www.bazelon.org) offers information on various topics about mental health law, provides related advocacy information links and publications on mental health care.

Department of Mental Health and Aging at the University of Southern Florida Mental Health Institute (www.fmhi.usf.edu/amh/statement.html) provides research, program evaluation, training, publications, education and consultation, and Web Site links which address the immediate and longer term mental health and support system needs of older adults in Florida and nationally.

Mental Health and Aging (www.mhaging.org) web site assists older adults, their families and caregivers in obtaining mental health services specific to the needs of older adults. It also provides information on effective advocacy, legislative alerts and publications.

National Coalition of Mental Health and Aging (www.ncmha.org) addresses mental health and/or substance abuse issues affecting older adults by gathering information, serving as a forum for discussion and providing education and information to policy makers, agencies and organizations, service providers and the general public.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) (www.samhsa.gov) provides information on grant and contract opportunities, legislative and policy issue updates, statistics and data, and information resources and publications. Of special interest is the Knowledge Exchange Network, SAMHSA's Mental Health Information Center (www.mentalhealth.org), which offers a search engine on substance abuse and mental health.

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