BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

 DCF ADVISORY WORKGROUP

Meeting Notes for April 21, 2005

  

Workgroup participants:  Morgan Meltz* (Families United FCMH), Karen Andersson (DCF), Mark Schaeffer (DSS), Kathy Carrier* (Families United FCMH), Phil Guzman (Child Guidance, Bridgeport), Scott McWilliams (DCF), Myka Perrelli (NAMI-CT), Barbara Janik* (FAVOR), Dan Lyga (Children’s Center of Hamden), Deirdre Stowe (Yale CSC), Tony Delmastro (Children’s Center of Hamden), Gerardo Sorkin (UCFS), Molly Cole (FAVOR), Mariette McCourt (Medicaid MCC), Irv Jennings (Family & Children’s Aid), Vicki Veltri (Greater Hartford Legal Aid), Stacey Gerber (DCF), Allyson Nadeau (Value Options), Doug DeCerbod (Boys & Girls Village), Liz Collins (YNH Hospital), Barbara Sheldon* (NAMI-CT), Cathy Adamczyk* (NAMI-CT), Tim Kearney (Community Health Center), Pam Scott Ashe* (FAVOR), Paul Kosowsky (Youth Continuum)

* = family member

  

Workgroup purpose:  To work with DCF to identify and address key issues for consumers and providers as the Department moves into an ASO model.  Specific focus will rest on the gradual transition to a fee for service model for selected DCF funded services, service eligibility under the Voluntary Services program, the role of the Community Collaboratives and the Managed Service Systems within this new model

  

The meeting involved a wide ranging discussion about what participants thought were the key issues.  These are summarized below, in no particular order:

 

•       Integration of exit plan demands with KidCare

•       Clinical criteria/management guidelines

•       Client flow

•       Role of ASO in out-of-home care

•       Acute care/hospital guidelines

•       Issues around shifting selected services (intensive home based therapy, therapeutic mentoring, behavioral consultation) to a fee for service model

•       Issues around pediatricians prescribing psychoactive drugs

•       DSS/DCF coordination for kids in DCF custody

•       How the various levels of care management – enhanced and regular Care Coordination, MSS system, ICMs and SMs from the ASO – will work together

•       What this new system will look like for families

•       What will easier access and better accountability look like?

•       Voluntary Services eligibility and procedures

•       Access to services for non Voluntary Service kids

•       Access to services for families with no insurance

•       Ensuring that family involvement and choice are woven throughout

•       What happens if recommended level of care is unavailable?

•       Therapy provided in home or in a community setting costs more (travel time etc.) than that provided in an office, and rates must reflect this

•       HUSKY transportation issues

•       Interface between mental health care and primary care

•       What happens when different parties disagree?

•       MSS system monitoring and quality improvement

•       Discharge criteria and planning

•       Ensuring that treatment plans are implemented

•       Where do the Community Collaboratives fit in?

•       Continuity of care issues

•       What triggers the ASO will use, and what the response will be

•       Ensuring that the needs of the entire family are considered

•       Increased costs of bilingual staff

•       Who will be responsible for quality of services provided?

•       DCF/DMHAS transition issues

•       Need to be able to bill for more than one service per day for a child/family

 

 

Action items:

•       Check to see if other workgroups are working on any of these issues (Karen, Mark, Mariette)

•       Bring work already performed by DCF re client flow and ASO/MSS/Collaborative interface to next meeting (Karen)

 

 

Next meeting:

Tuesday, May 3rd, 6:30pm

Riverview Hospital, Middletown, A/B conference room