Mental Health means living a meaningful and productive life - having a life worth living - as defined by a person’s interests, goals, hopes, and dreams. Mental Health Services helps County residents by monitoring and continuously improving the system of behavioral healthcare services in Onondaga County.

Prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation services reduce the personal and community impact of mental illness, chemical dependency and developmental disorders on children, adolescents and adults.

The Di​vision Knows That:

• People with mental illness, chemical dependency or developmental disorders can lead meaningful, productive lives;
• There are effective, science-based treatment and service delivery strategies that promote recovery;
• Quality pays - the continuous improvement of services decreases suffering and the economic costs of these disorders.
  

• Supports cooperation between service recipients, families, service providers, City, County, State and Federal authorities;
• Sponsors and promotes education and training to advance evidence based practices;
• Assesses and plans for the behavioral healthcare needs of County residents;
• Develops appropriate service capacity and access to services through selected funding of behavioral healthcare services and oversees program performance and outcomes;
• Promotes public understanding of behavioral health disabilities to reduce stigma and promote meaningful and productive community involvement for those with these disabilities.