Texas Department of State Health Services: Best Practices for Mental Health Systems

Best Practices Clearinghouse for Mental Health Systems Criteria for Best Practices

Each practice will be an example of at least one of the following categories of programs or strategies. These categories are not mutually exclusive, and practices may fit into more than one category. The examples provided for each category provide an overview of the types of practices that might be included, but do not represent a comprehensive or exclusive list.
- Developing and implementing a local network development plan
- Assembling and expanding a local provider network to increase consumer choice
- Creating and enforcing performance standards for providers
- Managing limited resources
- Maximizing available funding
- Producing the best client outcomes
- Ensuring consumers of mental health services have control over decisions regarding their health
- Developing procurement processes to protect public funds
- Achieving the best mental health consumer outcomes possible
- Implementing strategies that effectively incorporate consumer and family involvement to develop and evaluate the provider network
The practice must have written documentation of the procedures and other information necessary for implementation. Additional information about the resources used to develop the practice may also be requested.
The practice must have quantitative or qualitative evidence of effectiveness. (Qualitative research involves analysis of data such as words (e.g., from interviews), pictures (e.g., video), or objects (e.g., an artifact). Quantitative research involves analysis of numerical data.)
The practice must have been in use for at least six months.