|
Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight Council
Statement of Purpose
The Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight Council was established
in legislation (PA05-280) to advise the Departments of Children and Families (DCF)
and Social Services (DSS) on the planning and implementation of the statutory Behavioral
Health Partnership (BHP). The Partnership will implement an integrated behavioral
health service
system for HUSKY Part A child/parent/caregiver members, HUSKY Part
B members (children) and children enrolled in the DCF voluntary services program.
The legislation (PA05-280, Sec 92) identified the purpose of the
newly created BHP:
The Behavioral Health Partnership shall seek to increase access
to quality behavioral health services through:
1) Expansion of individualized, family-centered, community-based
services;
2) Maximization of federal revenue to fund behavioral health services;
3) Reduction in the unnecessary use of institutional and residential
services for children;
4) Capture and investment of enhanced federal revenue and savings
derived from reduced residential services and increased community-based services;
5) Improved administrative oversight and efficiencies; and
6) Monitoring of individual outcomes, provider performance, taking
into consideration the acuity of the patients served by each provider, and overall
program performance.
The BHP Oversight Council, comprised of legislators and their designees,
behavioral health consumers and advocates, medical and mental health practitioners,
state agencies and insurers, has the legislative mandate to assess the development
and ongoing implementation of the BHP program and make recommendations to the State
agencies and the CT General Assembly. The oversight areas include, but are not limited to:
Ø Review/comment on the contract between
DSS and DCF and the administrative service organization (ASO) to ensure ASO decisions
are based on clinical management criteria developed by the clinical management committee
that includes two members of the BHP Oversight Council.
Ø Review the delivery of behavioral
health services to ensure maximum federal revenue.
Ø Review and make recommendations to
the State agencies and the legislature based on the BHP program reports on services, finances and outcomes and the achievement of the program goals. The BHP Oversight
Council may initiate and/or conduct an external independent evaluation of the BHP
program.
Ø Review and make recommendations
to the State agencies and the Administrative Service Organization on policies and
evaluation of evidence of the equitable statewide delivery of individualized, family-driven,
community-based and culturally competent services in the Behavioral Health Partnership
Program.
Ø Consumer grievance procedures, developed
by the BHP agencies, shall be submitted to the BHP Oversight Council for review
and comment.
Ø Review all proposals for initial
service rates, reductions to existing rates and rate methodology changes. The Council
may recommend acceptance of the rates or forward Council rate-specific recommendations
to the General Assembly committees of cognizance (Human Services, Public Health
and Appropriations).
Ø Review and comment on policies related
to the coordinated delivery of both physical and behavioral health services for
the covered populations.
The BHP Oversight Council, which meets monthly, will submit a report
to the Governor and the General Assembly committees of cognizance on Council activities.
The Council will establish subcommittees to address specific issues.
|