Who We Are, Who We Serve and What We Do

The purpose of the CHS Consumer Advocacy Department is to assist persons with developmental disabilities to access the services they want and need. We have Consumer Advocates available to assist individuals and their families in Pettis, Saline and Benton Counties. Our Consumer Advoacy Services Professionals (CASP for short) were formerly known as Service Coordinators.

 

 

Admission Criteria

1. The individual must have a developmental disability which is a mental or physical impairment that occurred before the age of 22 AND the individual must be found eligible for services by the Missouri State Department of Mental Health’s Division of Developmental Disability
   
   The Central Missouri Regional Office (CMRO) is the local office for the Division of Developmental Disability. It is the Central Missouri Regional Office’s job to determine that someone meets the eligibility criteria of a developmental disability and that the person qualifies for state funded services. Once CMRO determines the person is eligible,then they refer the individual to the Center for Human Services where a Consumer Advocate will be immediately assigned. Click here for more information on how to enroll with the DMH Central Missouri Regional Office.
   
   
2. The only other way an individual can receive the services of a Consumer Advocate is when an individual has an identifiable disability AND is found eligible to receive services through the adult programs that the Center for Human Services provides such as the Cooperative Workshop or Adult Activity Center. When an individual is not enrolled in the DMH Division’s of Developmental Disability (non-DMH client), the Consumer Advocate from the Center for Human Services will only be provided as long as the individual is receiving a direct service from CHS.

In summary, to be able to receive a CHS Consumer Advocate, a person with a disability must either be enrolled in the Department of Mental Health’s Division of Developmental Disabilities through the Central Missouri Regional Office or be enrolled in a direct adult service provided by the Center for Human Services.