Missouri officials and mental health advocates say the state is making progress toward improving mental health care, but a lack of resources is a continuing problem.
After the killing of six teachers and 20 students in Connecticut in 2012, Gov. Jay Nixon urged state leaders to create new programs or to expanding existing efforts toward better mental health access.
That led to $10 million in funding for five programs - community health liaisons; coordinating care in emergency rooms and health centers; and three training programs for law enforcement, the public and families with mentally ill members.
Mark Stringer, director of the Missouri Department of Mental Health, says the programs improved coordination of mental health care but more people would be helped if Medicaid was expanded in Missouri.