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CATCHMENT
AREA
COUNCILS
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A catchment area is a defined geographic area, based on population,
that receives mental health services as a unit. The Catchment Area
Council (CAC) is a citizen body and is the grassroots level of citizen
involvement in planning for needed services. Some members of the CAC are
lay citizens, called consumers, while others are mental health
professionals called providers.
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The role of the CAC is to study and evaluate existing mental health
services in the catchment area and to make recommendations about the
types of services that are needed. All findings and conclusions
are reported to the regional board and to the Connecticut Department of
Mental Health and Addiction Services. The regional board makes
recommendations on a regular basis.
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There are 37 towns in Region IV served by the North Central
Regional Mental Health Board. Each town is represented by a Catchment
Area Council (CAC). By statute, all town representatives are consumers
(not employed as mental health professionals or by agencies offering mental health services).
The town representatives are appointed by the first selectman, mayor,
or governing official of the town. The town representatives in each
CAC select other consumers as well as providers (people employed to
provide mental health services) to serve on the CACs.
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The CACs and Boards seek members who have the experience to
carry out the responsibilities and activities outlined. The CACs
value consumer members who are or have been clients themselves, family
members of clients, and concerned citizens. |
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