Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD
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State Policy Center for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment and Access
Improving Behavioral Health Access & Integration Using Telehealth & Teleconsultation: A Health Care System for the 21st Century
/in Policy Reports Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health IT/Data, Health System Costs, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Quality and Measurement, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health, Workforce Capacity /by Lesa RairIndividuals with medical and behavioral health comorbidities often receive fragmented care, resulting in higher costs and poorer outcomes. States, the federal government, and providers have all made significant investments to build and expand evidence-based integration models, such as the collaborative care model, to reduce fragmentation and improve care. However, workforce shortages and limited resources may hinder […]
Top 5 Themes We Saw Emerge From #NASHPCONF15
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, Health IT/Data, Health System Costs, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, State Insurance Marketplaces /by NASHPState health policy leaders from all 50 states and the District of Columbia converged in Dallas for our largest-ever annual conference. Packed sessions and hallway conversations had the place abuzz with ideas and challenges as states move ahead with system-changing reforms. Without the brainpower of our members and attendees identifying key issues and best practices […]
Health Centers’ Role in Affordable Care Act Outreach and Enrollment: Experience from Kentucky and Montana
/in Policy Kentucky, Montana Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health, State Insurance Marketplaces /by NASHP, Najeia Mention and Alice WeissThe Affordable Care Act created new opportunities for health centers and primary care associations (PCA) to play a leading role in supporting outreach and enrollment into new and expanded health coverage programs. Health centers and PCAs received new funding, sometimes from multiple state and federal entities, new training and tools, and a new mandate to find and […]
Conference Presentations 2015
/in Policy Annual Conference Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health System Costs, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Palliative Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement, Value-Based Purchasing /by NASHPPreconference First Name Last Name Presentation Finding Shared Solutions Across Mental Health, Substance Use Disorders, and Medicaid to Promote Recovery Tamara Sale Sale.precon.prevention.pdf Finding Shared Solutions Across Mental Health, Substance Use Disorders, and Medicaid to Promote Recovery Tom Betlach Betlach.precon.health reform.pdf Finding Shared Solutions Across Mental Health, Substance Use Disorders, and Medicaid to Promote Recovery […]
State Strategies for Integrating Health Care and Housing for Homeless Individuals and Families
/in Policy Webinars Accountable Health, Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Blending and Braiding Funding, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Health Equity, Housing and Health, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by NASHPThis webinar offered participants an opportunity to learn about cross-agency levers states can use to meet the housing and health needs of homeless populations. The webinar also addressed the financing mechanisms, data infrastructure and strategic partnerships that facilitate the blending of health care and housing funding streams.
Is Housing Good Medicine for States?
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Housing and Health, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by NASHP WritersRecent media reports have featured chronically homeless individuals who have improved their health and reduced their emergency department use thanks to one intervention:supportive housing. According to one federal agency, supportive housing is “an approach to subsidized housing that provides voluntary services for people with disabilities and chronic conditions to promote long-term stability, recovery and improved health.” […]
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics: What’s in It for States?
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration /by NASHPWhen it comes to behavioral health systems, many states struggle with the lack of “system.” Services provided are often a compilation of available Medicaid state plan options, with little in the way of unifying structures to ensure coordination of care or linkages to other systems. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently […]
Transition Team Bridge Inpatient to Outpatient Mental Health Services for Complex Mentally Ill
/in Policy Oregon Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health System Costs, Long-Term Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by Mary TakachIn my previous “Walkabout Medical Home” blog posts I have highlighted the work Primary Health Care Organizations (PHCOs) in Australia (Medicare Locals) have done to connect people with mild to moderate mental health diagnoses to primary care or community-based services. This blog highlights the innovative work being done stateside by Oregon’s Health Share. Health Share […]
The Mental Health Parity and Equity Addictions Act Proposed Rules – a Checklist for States
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Essential Health Benefits, Health Coverage and Access, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration /by NASHPState policymakers have a critical role to play in how the Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity Act (MHPAEA) is operationalized in state programs, including Medicaid managed care organizations, alternative benefit plans, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Now that CMS has released long-awaited proposed rules on implementation of the MHPAEA in these programs, […]
Community Health Worker Models in Evolving State Health Care Systems
/in Policy Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Community Health Workers, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health System Costs, Long-Term Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by Jackie LeGrandCommunity health workers (CHWs) are often employed to improve health equity, cultural competency, health literacy and access to care, among other issues. Because they have such varied roles, there are many definitions of CHWs; however, they are commonly identified by their in-depth understanding of the population they serve. On a recent State Refor(u)m webinar, speakers […]
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
Understanding Opioid Settlement Spending Plans across States: Key Components and Approaches
/in Opioid Center, Policy Featured News Home, Reports Opioid Use Disorder /by Sam Mermin, Rebekah Falkner and Katie Greene