Mental Health Initiative
by Danielle Engle
On
February 24, Governor Tim Pawlenty announced new and redirected
government funds slated to improving mental health services for children
and adults, www.governor.state.mn.us.
The funds include $49.5 million from the Health Care Access Fund
and $59 million in redirected investments. Changes will be spearheaded
by the Minnesota Mental Health Action Group (MMHAG), a coalition
of public and private people and groups working on mental health
reform.
During the announcement,
Governor Pawlenty said, “Our current
mental healthcare system needs improvement and this initiative will
deliver significant advancements in access, quality and accountability.” Reports
indicate that over the past 3 years, 25% of caregivers and 30% of
children in the state’s welfare system were diagnosed with
a serious mental health disorder. Currently, there is a shortage
of mental healthcare professionals in Minnesota, including psychiatrists.
Changes will be focused on delivering effective care in a timely
and efficient manner, providing incentives to alleviate the shortage
of mental healthcare professionals, and the coordination of caregiving
services, most notably in the provision between health and mental
health services.
The Initiative’s
Key Elements
Adopting a consistent mental health benefit set across the Department
of Human Services (DHS) programs: Recipients of General Assistance
Medical Care (GAMC), Minnesota Care, and Prepaid Medical Assistance
Program (PMAP) will have access to mental healthcare programs modeled
after Medical Assistance (MA) and fee-for-service recipients.
Integrating care systems: The goal is to improve coordination between
mental health- care, physical healthcare and social services by integrating
the payment and service model. This is also anticipated to offset
the potential loss of federal funds.
Shore up children’s
school-based mental services infrastructure: Changes in federal
regulations reduced funding sources for these services. This is
designed to ensure payment of those services for uninsured and
under-insured children.
Develop statewide mental health crisis intervention and stabilization
infrastructure as a first-line safety net for children and adults:
Lack of mental health crisis services in communities places an undue
burden on hospital level care. The provision of community level crisis
services will alleviate the resultant shortage of psychiatric bed
capacity. In effect it may also assist individuals in maintaining
their independence within the community.
Monitor and track availability of mental health services: To ensure
the availability and adequate funding of mental health services,
a coordinated system needs to be in place to monitor and track these
services. Psychiatric acute care capacity will be the first target
area.
Develop and support evidence-based practices: The goal is to develop
standardized assessment tools and interventions and treatments that
are based on short-term and long-term outcomes. It will also include
licensing and accreditation tracking and consumer and provider feedback.
Address workforce shortages, including psychiatrists and other critical
mental health professionals: Today there is a shortage of psychiatrists
and other professionals. The cost in life and quality of life to
consumers stresses the importance of alleviating the long waiting
periods for psychiatric and other services. The goal is to enhance
reimbursement rates for providers who serve a high proportion of
clients receiving public assistance.
Develop capacity to address
the mental healthcare needs of specialty populations: Some mental
health disorders are not common enough to be sufficiently supported
by sources outside of the state or county government. Specialty populations
include those with eating disorders, co-occurring disorders (psychiatric
disorder and substance abuse, et al), culturally specific treatment
needs and attachment disorders (children lacking secure attachments
with caregivers develop an array of emotional, behavioral, social,
cognitive, developmental, physical, and moral problems with a tendency
to perpetuate the cycle with their own children) www.attachmentexperts.com.
In some cases, treatment needs are purchased outside of Minnesota.
Create a system for measuring
mental health service outcomes: The goal is to develop a Web-based
statewide system to evaluate the outcomes of mental health services.
This centralized system ensures the continued monitoring and improvement
of mental healthcare services.
To learn more about the mental
health initiative and planned events, visit the MMHAG Web site at
www.citizensleague.net/mentalhealth/ or telephone (612) 338-0791.
Readers may also take advantage of the Mental Health Day on the Hill
on March 28, 2006. This annual event is sponsored by the Mental Health
Legislative Network, it offers individuals and families an opportunity
to demonstrate their support for increased funding and improved policies
for mental health services.
A legislative briefing
will be held at 10:00 am at Christ Lutheran Church just across
the street from the Capitol. There will a rally at 12 noon in the
Rotunda of the Capitol. Visits with Legislators are scheduled to
begin at 1:00 pm Individual and group appointments need to be made
in advance. Additional information is available at www.leg.state.
mn.us.leg or one of the following: Mental Health Association of
Minnesota at 612-331-6840 or 1-800-862-1799; National Alliance
on Mental Illness of MN at 651-645-2948 or 1-888-473-0237.
