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November 9, 2017

Advancing Public Policies for People with Mental Illness, Chemical Dependency or Developmental Disabilities   

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Francine Sinkoff, Editor
fs@clmhd.org

School Districts Across NYS to Add Mental Health Education to Health Curriculum







Heroin OD case prompts change to paramedic-response policy - Saratoga County


Finding Opportunities for Behavioral Health in ACOs

Worried behavioral health is being left out of Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs)? The National Council recently released a new resource to help community providers, states, and advocates understand the ACO model and how it can be used to best meet the needs of children and adults with behavioral health disorders. The report draws upon what has been learned about Medicaid ACOs and makes
recommendations  about how states can ensure that their Medicaid health system addresses the behavioral health needs of all their members. Download the report here.





UPCOMING TRAININGS

November 9, 2 - 3:15 pm, Stepping Up

November 9, 3 - 4 pm, SAS

November 13, 1 - 2 pm, Behavioral Healthcare Executive

November 15, 12 - 1 pm, SAMHSA GAINS Center

November 15, 2 - 3:30 pm, NASMHPD

Satisfied with Your Return on IT Dollars Spent?
November 15, 2 - 3 pm, National Council for Behavioral Health

November 16, 2 - 3:15 pm, Stepping Up

November 29, 3 - 4 pm, NAADAC


 
CALENDAR OF EVENTS

NOVEMBER 2017

Office Closed - Veterans' Day
November 10

Directors & Executive Committee Combined Meeting
November 15:  9:30 - 12:30 pm
GTM

Children & Families Committee Meeting
November 21:  11:30 am - 1 pm,  GTM

Office Closed - Thanksgiving
November 23 & 24

Mental Hygiene Planning Committee Meeting
November 28:  1 - 3 pm,  GTM


DECEMBER 2017

Officers & Chairs Call
December 6: 8 am

Children & Families Committee Meeting
December 19:  11:30 am - 1 pm,  GTM

Directors & Executive Committee Combined Meeting
December 20:  9:30 - 12:30 pm
GTM

Office Closed - Christmas
December 25


Contact CLMHD for all Call In and Go To Meeting information, 518.462.9422 
Recommendations of the President's Commission on Combatting Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis

While President Donald Trump's opioid commission made several recommendations Wednesday that highlighted the need for greater treatment access, the final report didn't address the insurance and cost issues that affect recovery.

The  Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis proposed 56 recommendations in its final report, many of which were designed to ease federal regulations that critics say have hindered efforts to expand access to treatment.

The group also got an assist from the CMS, which said it would approve state demonstrations that waive federal Medicaid rules limiting coverage for inpatient substance abuse treatment in facilities with more than 16 beds to 15 days. 

While the expansion of inpatient services for substance use disorder treatment will be welcomed, the CMS announcement may have diverted focus away from the lack of additional financial resources for outpatient treatment, which would offer access to more people by comparison.  Read more here.
New York State OASAS Announces Opening of New 24/7 Open Access Center in Rochester

The New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) today announced the opening of a new 24/7 Open Access Center, to help direct people to addiction treatment services. The center, located in Rochester, will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and will deliver immediate engagement, assessment, and referral services for people suffering from a substance use disorder. OASAS provided $500,000 for renovations and operational costs for the center.

Center staff will be available around the clock to assess people in need of treatment, and refer them to the appropriate level of care. This Open Access Center is a collaborative project of Recovery Net, a coalition of nine community-based, OASAS-certified providers, which is led by Delphi Drug and Alcohol Council. This is a unique and innovative model of care, and is the first of its kind in New York State.   Read more here .
DSRIP Funds Flow Update

Recent reporting reflects that DSRIP Performing Provider Systems (PPS) have substantially increased the amount of funds flowed to network partners. As of June 30, 2017, PPS have distributed a total of $878 Million, or 85% of all dollars earned, to various categories of downstream partners.
 
During the DSRIP Mid-Point assessment (MPA) process in February 2017, the DSRIP Project Approval and Oversight Panel (PAOP) encouraged PPS to increase their distribution of funds to network partners. As a result, PPS funds distributed to network partners increased by 112% or double the amount of cumulative distributions prior to the DSRIP mid-point.
 
Details can be found in the Mid-Point Assessment Action Plans: PPS Progress through DY3, Q1 slides here.
POLITICO:  The Opioid Crisis - Crucial Next Steps

America's opioid epidemic has not abated. More than 64,000 Americans died of drug overdoses last year - seven per hour, according to the White House. Most of those deaths were from prescription painkillers, heroin, fentanyl and related drugs. Though the illicit street drugs have added complicated and lethal dimensions to the public health crisis, the problem has its roots in legal painkillers - and pain itself. And while some parts of the country are hit harder than others, no place is immune.

In the spring of 2016, just as the Centers for Disease Control released " Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain," 
POLITICO  convened a group of policymakers and stakeholders to explore the opportunities and obstacles around changing the culture of prescribing, particularly in primary care. In October 2017, we convened a similar group - some of the same participants, some new ones - to identify where progress has been made, and what policy gaps need to be filled to reduce addiction, abuse and dependence - and save lives. The on-the-record discussion, moderated by POLITICO's executive editor for health care Joanne Kenen and POLITICO health care reporter Sarah Karlin-Smith, identified areas of both agreement and disagreement on next steps.  Read more here.
Making Your Clinical Team Data Driven

Sustainability requires improved organizational performance and improved value to our customers. But shifting organizational culture to one that is data driven and can use metrics-based management tools is a challenge.

That's why an article about a project in Scotland to engage staff in driving quality outcomes through process improvement activities caught my attention. The project was a joint effort by Raigmore Hospital and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

The project uses the data that's accessible, educates and empowers staff to identify and implement solutions, and links the whole process to quality targets. I think that organizations get stuck on trying to create complex data systems, and motivating staff to understand "value." This approach educates and empowers staff, capitalizing on key principles of John Kotter's change paradigm-creating a sense of urgency, building a guiding coalition, enlisting an army, enabling action by removing barrier, and generating short-term wins. Read more here.
The Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors advances public policies and awareness for people with mental illness, chemical dependency and developmental disabilities.  We are a statewide membership organization that consists of the Commissioner/ Director of each of the state's 57 county mental hygiene departments and the mental hygiene department of the City of New York.

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