Webinar: What Has Health Reform Done for the Behavioral Health Communities?

FREE WEBINAR FOR RCPA MEMBERS
Tuesday, August 16, 2016 • 12:00 – 1:00 pm

Register Here by August 14

Because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many individuals with mental health and/or substance use conditions are now able to access health insurance coverage — through the Marketplace or through their state’s expanded Medicaid program — which provides a comprehensive set of services aimed at increasing treatment options and improving overall health outcomes for these vulnerable populations. During this presentation, we’ll discuss:

• The different ways behavioral health and substance use communities can and are benefiting from health reform;
• Barriers faced by these populations in trying to sign up for health insurance and in utilizing their health insurance coverage;
• Strategies to overcome these barriers;
• The Mental Health Parity Act;
• The Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s (MHASP) overall experience assisting these populations with enrolling in health insurance through their work as a Navigator organization during the first open enrollment period; and
• Medicaid and Medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania.

After attending this webinar, participants would have learned:

• A brief history of the Affordable Care Act;
• How many people in the US have a mental illness, their life expectancy, and their insurance rates;
• How the mental health & substance use communities are benefiting from health reform;
• About the Mental Health Parity Law;
• About Medicaid & Medicaid expansion in Pennsylvania; and
• Strategies used at the MHASP to assist the mental health and substance abuse communities overcome barriers and enroll in health care.

Presenter: Erik Soto
With a Master of Science in Public Health and over a decade of working in the field, Mr. Erik Soto is an experienced health and behavioral health care professional in consulting and program management. Most currently, Erik is the adult advocacy program manager at the MHASP. In this capacity, Erik oversees a staff of consumer advocates who help support community members and consumers of behavioral health services connect with and navigate various service systems. Additionally, Erik is engaged in community outreach work aimed at strengthening the ties MHASP has with local community-based organizations to better help increase the reach and impact of the services and programs delivered by MHASP. Moreover, Erik managed a start-up health exchange program for MHASP, for which he and his team helped thousands of individuals learn about and receive health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. Prior to his work at MHASP, Mr. Soto was an independent key health consultant, providing key management and oversight of biometric health screenings for various health and wellness firms located throughout the country. In addition, Erik has also worked as executive assistant to the health commissioner at the City of Philadelphia, Department of Public Health.