While the 2016 election has created a measure of uncertainty for publicly financed care, one area of continued importance is the need to ensure access to mental health care, and to promote integrated service delivery for individuals with physical and behavioral health needs. Beginning in 2014, Medi-Cal enrollees with mild-to-moderate mental health conditions gained access to a newly expanded set of outpatient mental health services. Now, nearly three years later, how has implementation of these services played out? To shed light on this question, Blue Shield of California Foundation and the California Health Care Foundation sponsored this two-part webinar series. Although focused on the California landscape, these webinars may be of interest to national stakeholders seeking to promote access to integrated physical and behavioral care in the face of fragmented financing streams.
The series, based on information shared in two recent papers by Harbage Consulting and the Center for Health Care Strategies: (1) provided an overview of the expanded outpatient mental health benefit for Medi-Cal beneficiaries with mild-to-moderate mental health conditions and highlighted various approaches to managing the benefit; and (2) described challenges to delivering integrated services through current systems of care and highlighted promising strategies to improve coordination.
Part I: The Current Medi-Cal Landscape: An Overview of Mild-to-Moderate Mental Health Coverage and System Organization
Thursday, December 1, 2016
Welcoming Remarks: Catherine Teare, California Health Care Foundation
Presenters: Molly Brassil, Harbage Consulting; David Block, MD, Inland Empire Health Plan; Sarah Arnquist, Beacon Health Options
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Part II: Mild-to-Moderate Mental Health Coverage in Medi-Cal: The Challenge and Promise of Coordination between Counties and Health Plans
Thursday, December 15, 2016
Welcoming Remarks: Rachel Wick, Blue Shield of California Foundation
Presenters: Allison Hamblin, Center for Health Care Strategies; Lamar Smith, MD, L.A. Care Health Plan; Caryn Sumek and Michael S. Krelstein, MD, County of San Diego Health & Human Services Agency
