Mental Health America Allegheny County supports clients' rights to make their own choices in mental health treatment.  MHAAC has two full-time Adult Mental Health Advocates on staff who work to ensure that clients' rights are respected and their voices are heard.  Research has shown that understanding and respecting clients' choices is critical for their recovery.  Advocates assist in two main ways, through General Advocacy and Community Support Plan (CSP) Process Advocacy.  There is no cost for our services.

Download an Adult Advocacy Program Brochure

Ways in which MHAAC Adult Advocates can assist clients include:

• Assessing clients' needs for services and referring them to appropriate mental health and community resources.
• Providing clients with information about options for treatment and other supports.
• Informing clients about steps they can take to address concerns about their rights, including assisting clients with making a list of questions/concerns that they can share with their providers and explaining grievance procedures.
• Educating and assisting clients with Mental Health Advanced Directives (MHAD) which allow clients to make their mental health treatment choices known at a time when clients are not able to communicate their treatment preferences.  See the following link for more information: Mental Health Advanced Directives
• Sharing information and resources about rights and the mental health system with family members who call.  We do not discuss clients' personal information with anyone without the client's permission.

For more information about community mental health resources, call to speak to an adult advocate or explore the following link:

Crisis and Community Resources

MHAAC employs two advocates dedicated to working with clients who are a part of the Community Support Plan (CSP) and Acute Community Support Plan (ACSP) processes. 

What are the CSP and ACSP processes?

The CSP and ACSP processes assist Allegheny County mental health clients as they transition away from hospital settings and into their home communities.

How do people become a part of the process?

Clients are referred by their inpatient treatment team in coordination with the Allegheny County Office of Behavioral Health.

What is the advocate's role?

• Advocates attend ACSP and CSP meetings with clients, their supports, treatment providers, and representatives from the Allegheny County Office of Behavioral Health.  During the ACSP and CSP meetings, advocates work to ensure that the client feels that they have been heard by their team and that all of their questions/concerns have been addressed.
• Advocates visit with clients weekly.  Clients have the opportunity to discuss concerns and questions with their advocate.  Advocates will inform clients about steps they can take to address their concerns.
• Advocates keep the client informed about his/her rights, and communicate with providers to make sure that the client's rights are being respected.
• Advocates may follow-up between meetings with support people and providers to make sure that discharge planning tasks are being accomplished.

Learn about Southwestern PA's transition from an institution-based treatment model to a community-based treatment model