Physical and Behavioral Health Integration
FEATURED TOOLKIT
Integrating Maternal and Child Health Data Systems
/in Policy Reports Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health IT/Data, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement /by NASHPWhat happens when state health programs use separate data systems to serve the same population, such as mothers and children? State policymakers know that when those data systems do not “talk” to one another, states may waste resources on duplicative data entry and system maintenance; providers and state agencies may struggle to access information important […]
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.” […]
Sharing Information Across Physical and Behavioral Health – Debunking Myths, Developing Strategies
/in Policy Webinars Chronic and Complex Populations, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration /by NASHPIntegrating physical and mental health services requires that personal health information is shared appropriately across various settings in order to promote care coordination and better outcomes. In their efforts to support physical and mental health integration, state policymakers can sometimes face barriers to this flow of information due to federal and state laws, provider culture, technical roadblocks, and other factors. This webinar provides a brief overview by Karla Lopez from the Legal Action Center of the federal statutory framework, specifically in the context of integrating physical and behavioral health care.
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, […]
Conducting the Orchestra of Multi-Payer Payment Reform: Achieving Harmony in Arkansas and Vermont
/in Policy Arkansas, Vermont Blogs Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Community Health Workers, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health IT/Data, Health System Costs, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by NASHP, Tess Shiras and Anne GauthierImagine an orchestra filled with providers and plans each playing its own tune to move towards value-based payment to incentivize better care and health. Alone, each tune is recognizable. But without working together, cacophony abounds. Enter the state as conductor and participant in aligned multi-payer payment reform, and sweet sounds emerge. If it only happened […]
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 […]
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 Equity, Health System Costs, Long-Term Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by NASHP and 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. 
FQHC Readiness and Practice Transformation Strategies
/in Policy Toolkits Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health IT/Data, Health System Costs, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health, Value-Based Purchasing Physical and Behavioral Health Integration /by NASHP StaffThe National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) designed this toolkit to support states interested in developing a value-based alternative payment methodology (APM) for federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). The following section on FQHC readiness and practice transformation discusses key considerations and promising strategies based on lessons learned from states during NASHP’s Value-Based Payment Reform […]