Over the last few years, a work group called The Standards Group (TSG), has been working on projects to standardize the operations of mental health programs in Michigan. One of the projects focused on how citizens access mental health services. On Monday, May 4, the first training for the access standards was given to a crowd of 170 in Lansing, Michigan.
In Michigan, Medicaid-based mental health services are organized through capitated Medicaid waiver programs called PIHP-18 in all. Each PIHP has responsibility for a geographic area. Some populous counties are a single PIHP. Some PIHP’s are hubs for several counties. Non Medicaid mental health services are organized in Community Mental Health service providers (CMH). There are 46 of these, and all the CMH’s are organized as “spokes” of a PIHP. Each PIHP is responsible for coordinating and/or providing access center services, so that people can apply for mental health services. Because of the sheer number of programs (both Medicaid and non Medicaid) that provide mental health services, access is complex and has been inconsistent throughout the state. The Access standards were developed to bring better understanding of the many eligibility criteria and operational practices to all Access standards.
End of Part One
No comments:
Post a Comment