The Mission of the CSB is to represent our community, both through advising the OC Mental Health Commissioner and participating actively in the creation of a delivery system which achieves the highest standard of mental hygiene services -including those relevant to mental health, Mental Retardation/Developmental Disability, and alcohol and substance abuse -for all residents of Oneida County.

To become more effective at representing the community in the present circumstances, the CSB needs to do three things:

1. Keep ourselves well-informed about the developing situation.  To do this, we will need to use our statutory authority to develop and implement a specific plan for what we need to know, how we are going to find it out, and from whom.
   
   
2. Raise the awareness of all groups in the community likely to be affected by the changes -including current and potential clients, agency staff, professionals, and taxpayers -about what is at stake, both in general and in regard to specific developments.  This may mean holding public hearings, writing letters to the newspaper, informing elected officials, and encouraging more effective press coverage of system-related developments.
   
   
3. Evaluate proposed changes to the mental hygiene system in relation to the following questions:
   
   • Does the proposal defend quality of care?
   • Does the proposal result in more efficient use of public and private resources?
   • Would the proposal result in a more unified and accessible system?
   • Does the proposal encourage local accountability?