Friday, January 14, 2005

Economic Grand Rounds: Financing the Care of Individuals With Serious Mental Illness   An October 2004 report published in Psychiatric Services - "A crisis in funding psychiatric services looms over practice and service systems, with a growing body of evidence showing that a systematic defunding of mental health care has occurred over the past several years. The economic downturn that began in 2000 accelerated this decline as states, which are a principal source of funding for the care of individuals with severe mental illness, experienced enormous budget deficits. One study found that when budgets are adjusted for inflation, states spend less on mental health care now than they did in 1955. In response to annual and substantial increases in states' Medicaid costs, states are moving to restrict eligibility and benefit packages and are freezing reimbursement rates to providers. The funding for mental health care that is received by seriously ill individuals comes from a complex and seemingly impenetrable array of sources with confusing eligibility rules and particular benefit packages. In an effort to make this critical topic more easily understood, this column provides an overview of the fiscal landscape and identifies the problems in funding mental health care for individuals with serious mental illness. The column concludes by highlighting the implications of such a system and the reasons for action and advocacy." The report is also available in Adobe Acrobat format. See also related stories at Psychiatric News, Roadmap Points Way to Reform In Public MH Care Financing and System Riddled With Obstacles  
  

Connecticut Mental Health Cabinet Report  December 2004 report (in Adobe Acrobat format) of the lieutenant governor's cabinet report - "The recommendations of the Lieutenant Governor.s Mental Health Cabinet build on the Governor.s Blue Ribbon Commission Report on Mental Health, Delivering and Financing Children.s Behavioral Health Services Report, and the planning and initiatives of the Community Mental Health Strategy Board and its first initiatives. T hese recommendations directly address the reality that so many who face mental health challenges in our state remain inappropriately institutionalized, underserved or unserved as well as all those who can better be helped before they experience greater disability. When implemented as a whole, these recommendations would turn less effective institutional spending into more effective community support, treatment, and recovery. Consequently, Connecticut.s mental health spending would shift away from fragmented, ineffective approaches that disrupt families, promote unnecessary institutionalization, fuel homelessness and do not sustain recovery." This report was brought to our attention by OpenMinds.  
  

Mental Health Department Touts Success Of Innovative Program (Missouri)  Brief MissouriNet.com story - "The State Mental Health Department is touting the success of a program that improves services to those with mental illnesses, while saving Medicaid dollars. The Missouri Mental Health Medicaid Pharmacy Partnership Program evaluates Medicaid mental health prescribing practices. Doctor Joseph Parks, Medical Director of the State Mental Health Department, says the focus is only on certain Medicaid patients - those receiving multiple prescriptions from multiple physicians.." The page also includes a link to a 60-second MP3 audio broadcast.