PRESENTATION

Missouri's Behavioral Health Service Continuum for Youth  

Friday, December 6 | 1:15 PM - 2:00 PM

The Missouri Department of Mental Health, Division of Behavioral Health (DBH) manages programs and services focused on behavioral health challenges. DBH partners closely with the Missouri Behavioral Health Council (MBHC), who represents over 30 behavioral health providers across the state. DBH and MBHC support programs and services for youth and their families that focus on prevention, education, resiliency skills, and treatment. Services are provided by local Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics and Adolescent SUD providers – all contracted with DBH to provide services that meet state and federal standards. This presentation will provide a high-level overview of the youth continuum of care within DBH, with emphasis on prevention efforts, the crisis continuum, and referral avenues into the system. The purpose of this presentation is to connect school professionals with resources to rely on when youth they interact with need additional support or are in crisis.   

Learning Objectives: 

• Discussing the evidence-based model of Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers (CCBHCs) with a focus on youth services. 
• Summarizing Missouri’s crisis continuum and referral avenues into services for youth.
• Discussing specialized initiatives supporting youth and community partnerships. 

About the Presenters

Mikala Jungmeyer-Geiger Mikala Jungmeyer-Geiger is the Youth Services Manager at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council. Mikala was born and raised in Russellville, Missouri. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Human Services from Columbia College. She is working on her Master’s in Community Agency Counseling at Lincoln University. Mikala chose the behavioral health field due to losing loved ones to suicide and substance use. She has eight years of experience in the behavioral health field. The Council allows Mikala to impact, challenge, and break down walls surrounding behavioral health. She loves working on multiple statewide initiatives and playing a small role in the Council’s mission. Mikala feels that working alongside her co-workers, state departments, and Community Behavioral Health providers is an honor.
Jennifer Johnson Jennifer Johnson is a Licensed Professional Counselor and is the Deputy Director of Community Operations with the Missouri Department of Mental Health. She obtained her Bachelor’s degrees in psychology and criminology from Missouri State University and attained her Master’s degree from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She joined the Department of Mental Health in 2019. Prior to that, she held various direct care and administrative roles in the behavioral health community safety net system.