CT BHP Provider eNewsletter 

2020 Health Equity Plan Update

In 2014, the CTBHP identified the need to better understand the status of health disparity within the Medicaid Behavioral Health Service System as a first step in developing strategies to achieve health equity. A multi-method study was conducted that documented existing disparities in access to behavioral health care, particularly by racial and ethnic minority populations.
Medication Safety at Home

Medication safety at home is of paramount importance for households where children and adolescents reside. Safe practices around use and storage of medications play a central role in decreasing the risk of accidental ingestions and intentional overdoses. The issue becomes even more important in households where a child or  adolescent is receiving mental health treatment.
 
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-Cooperative Adverse Event Surveillance (NEISS-CADES), around 60,000 visits to emergency departments occur each year due to unintentional medication overdoses among children under the age of five. Of those, more than 90% involve children who access the medication on their own, without caregiver oversight. In addition to accidental ingestion by young children, medication overdose is the most commonly used method of self-inflicted harm among children and adolescents.
Avoiding Administrative Denials

Administrative denials happen for many reasons. Forget to change a start date? Don’t remember the timeframe the request is due in? Member provided a Primary insurer and Secondary insurer isn’t verified? These are common reasons we see requests come in incorrectly or outside of the proper timeframe for authorization. The following are some important verification checks that can be made to avoid some of the more common errors that we receive.
Quick Links
Warm Line Transfer

Research indicates that recovery support enhances overall wellness. It has been proven to be a tremendously important part of helping people navigate through difficult situations. The CT BHP offers the Warm Line Transfer as a resource and support. The Warm Line is staffed by people who identify as individuals in recovery. Each team member also has lived experience with loved ones who have struggled with substance use and mental health challenges. They provide self-directed, empowering support, along with education and resources for people facing life challenges.
CT BH(el)P! Desk

The CT BHP Provider Relations Department hosts a weekly, interactive webinar every Wednesday from 10:00 am - 10:45 am which provides tutorials and answers inquiries from the CMAP provider network. 
Each webinar provides a quick, 30 minute overview of the ProviderConnect application for new providers, new staff members or any user that may need a brush up on the authorization portal. The remainder of the webinar is open to provider inquiries or requests for assistance with CT BHP policies and procedures. 

Contact Us
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Questions or need a hard copy?
Call CT BHP Provider Relations: 877-552-8247