CRDP Project History

California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP) Overview

In response to former U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher’s call for national action to reduce mental health disparities, the former Department of Mental Health (DMH), with support from the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC), the California Mental Health Directors Association (CMHDA) and the California Mental Health Planning Council (CMHPC), created a statewide policy initiative to identify solutions for historically unserved, underserved, and inappropriately served communities.  Under the Office of Health Equity, this statewide Prevention and Early Intervention effort, the California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP), focuses on five populations:

  • African Americans
  • Asians and Pacific Islanders (API)
  • Latinos
  • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning (LGBTQ)  
  • Native Americans

CRDP Phase I

Strategic Plan to Reduce Mental Health Disparities &    Population Reports

2009 – 2016

CRDP Phase I focused on development of a CRDP strategic plan, along with population reports from each of the project’s five populations

The Strategic Plan to Reduce Mental Health Disparities was developed for the California Department of Public Health by California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (CPEHN) ), alongside our partners representing diverse populations in California, as a community-driven and community-authored document that provides a roadmap for reducing mental health disparities in unserved, underserved, and inappropriately served communities.

Go to the CPEHN Website or click a link below to download the report and executive summary.

 

Population Specific Needs Assessment and Recommendations Reports

The five population reports were developed by community stakeholders through a population specific needs assessment meant to capture access, and availability of mental health services, needs, and recommendations to address disparities in mental wellness for each population. These reports synthesize findings from community surveys, focus groups and town halls and elevate the voice of the community in development of programming to meet their needs.

CRDP Phase 2

Statewide Evaluation

2016 – 2022

CRDP Phase II focuses on providing funding to implement practices and strategies identified in CRDP Phase I in order to demonstrate community-defined evidence to reduce mental health disparities.

The purpose of the evaluation is to assess the overall effectiveness of CRDP Phase II to identify and implement strategies addressing mental health disparities and to demonstrate the effectiveness of CDEPs in reducing mental health disparities in the five priority populations using community based participatory research methods.

 

Extension

2022 – 2026

CRDP Phase II Extension focuses on assessing project performance regularly against established metrics and adjust plans as needed.