By Tim Bonfield
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Another influential charity group, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, announced Tuesday that it plans to put its money and influence behind a growing effort to improve behavioral health services for children and teens.

The foundation has launched a five-year $625,000 project to begin closing some of the gaps in the Tristate's "fragmented" and "ineffective" behavioral health care system.

The announcement comes just months after the Junior League of Cincinnati announced its MindPeace project, a five-year, $150,000 project that also focuses on improving mental health services.

The two charity groups are working closely with the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, which also have been expanding their focus on mental health issues.

Several initiatives are expected to be launched in coming months.

Among them: a new Web site for families to use to find services, lobbying efforts to promote mental health insurance parity legislation, and pilot projects to promote "best practices."

Initiatives will also include many behind-the-scenes meetings to urge more mental health service agencies to share expertise, information and money.

"We have a very fragmented system of health care in this region. It is ineffective at making fundamental change in the way health care is provided," said James Anderson, president and chief executive of Children's Hospital. .

The need for improved care is extreme, said Susan Shelton, chairwoman of the Junior League's MindPeace project.

E-mail tbonfield@enquirer.com