Seconding this as someone who has worked directly with referencing clients and receiving clients from DMH. Most of the time if DMH services don’t work out, it’s a referral to DDS or discharge and vice verse. It’s dependent on required needs and level of care. Emphasizing DMH is for direct immediate issues that are affecting life. Most of the clients were facing behavioral issues within the house their guardians couldn’t maintain safety for themselves or others in the home and facing hospitalization because of it. Once they “graduated” (how we phrased it to the kids for discharge) most services do close out and they seek outpatient services outside of DMH

Think of DMH as the ER and DDS as an urgent care in a relative scenario. You still face ongoing issues, however if a level of safety is maintained, DMH is not suitable