The Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) is the primary technical assistance provider and coordinating entity for the three states–Maryland, Georgia, and Wyoming–awarded a CHIPRA Quality Demonstration grant by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in February 2010. The states will implement or expand the use of a Care Management Entity (CME) model to coordinate the services and supports needed by children and youth with serious behavioral health challenges involved in multiple systems and their families. The CME serves as the locus of accountability for these youth and families and is responsible for managing their care and outcomes across systems.

This webinar–eighth in the series–explored telemental health strategies for CMEs. The speaker described:

  • The types of services and supports that can be provided to youth and families via telemental health;
  • Federal definitions of telemedicine and telehealth and the difference between these
  • How telemental health can help to compensate for shortages of behavioral health providers in regions with limited access to services and transportation;
  • Use of telemental health to support care coordinators, family partners and youth peer partners working through a Care Management Entity approach;
  • Cost-effective strategies for structuring telemental health capacity;
  • Reimbursement issues and payment methodologies for telemental health services;
  • Support from Medicaid and other child-serving agencies for telemental health; and
  • Orientation and training for providers, families and youth about telemental health
  • Confidentiality issues and solutions in use of telemental health.