Antipsychotic Prescribing Trends in Youths With Autism and Intellectual Disability
Jim Sharp
Billing Effectively and Accurately for Integrated Behavioral Health Services
For providers that may be adding behavioral health services to a primary care practice, you’ll need to be sure you’re getting reimbursed for these new services. That means knowing what you can bill for, learning a web of new codes and numbers, identifying which staff can be reimbursed for providing these services, and training staff to code services appropriately. National Council is inviting primary care providers and their behavioral health partners to join integration experts from primary care centers for a webinar on the practical ins and outs of billing for behavioral health services, to a variety of third-party payers, including Medicare and Medicaid.
Participants need to be ready to discuss the menu of billing options available that can match your center’s needs. After this webinar, participants will:
- Identify billing options for integrated behavioral health services;
- Ask questions to identify if Medicaid and Medicare numbers are appropriately linked to the mental health services provided; and
- Employ tips for working with clinical and billing staff at the same time.
This webinar will be held on Monday, June 6, at 2:00 pm. Practitioners and providers can register here.
RCPA will now distribute information on integrated health care. RCPA INFOS and ALERTS will cover research, delivery and training models, policy issues, and other topics that will inform our members (and their physical health care partners) about collaborative, integrated, and co-located health care. To subscribe to this distribution list, select this link and check “Integrated Care.” This will add to your existing email preference selections.
InSHAPE Program Increases Physical Well-being of Patients with SMI
People with serious mental illness (SMI) in publically funded mental health organizations have a life expectancy of 25–30 years less than the general population. Mental health organizations from across the United States have the opportunity to apply for support in implementing InSHAPE® within their organizations. InSHAPE® is a wellness program designed to improve the physical health of people with serious mental illness. Organizations who are selected will also participate in a research study to advance understanding of how to implement wellness programs. Applications are due by Friday, June 24.
RCPA will now distribute information on integrated health care. RCPA INFOS and ALERTS will cover research, delivery and training models, policy issues, and other topics that will inform our members (and their physical health care partners) about collaborative, integrated, and co-located health care. To subscribe to this distribution list, select this link and check “Integrated Care.” This will add to your existing email preference selections.
Monitoring Mom’s Mental Health at the Pediatrician’s Office
OMHSAS BHRS Work Group Update
Last week, the Department of Human Services (DHS) Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Health, Bureau of Policy, Planning and Program, and Bureau of Autism Services, convened the Behavioral Health Rehabilitation Services (BHRS) Regulation Work Group. More than 60 managed care, advocacy, and community provider organizations attended, including a strong representation from RCPA autism and general BHRS provider organizations. Initial discussions ranged from a possible name change for BHRS to the regulations that will reflect the federal and state standards for the unique array of services currently included as BHRS for children with a severe emotional disturbance, as well as children with autism.
Work group members have begun to provide DHS with comments and suggestions. Subgroup meetings/conference calls are now being scheduled for early June, when discussions related to service array and evidence-based practices will be the first areas addressed. The determination of the service array is expected to impact broader discussion related to the other key areas.
OMHSAS Leadership to Attend Children’s Committee Meeting
The directors of the Bureau of Children’s Behavioral Health, and Bureau of Policy, Planning and Program will be attending the June 8 RCPA Children’s Committee meeting/webcast, to review and discuss the status of the work group, as well as other important OMHSAS initiatives. In addition to the Children’s Committee meeting, RCPA will provide regular updates on the OMHSAS BHRS Regulation Work Group and seek member input to inform the work group process.
Challenges Grow for Child Welfare Staffing
The General Assembly and other community leaders are striving to understand the many challenges facing county and private providers working in the Commonwealth’s child welfare field. The nature of working with the community’s most at-risk children and families, conducting a dramatically growing number of suspected abuse reports, and providing an array of services to children and youth in the dependency and delinquency systems, are daunting professional challenges for case workers and line supervisors. The challenging working conditions, vicarious traumatization, and the ever present fear of an error in judgment or action all contribute to an unacceptable rate of staff attrition across the state. The National Child Welfare Workforce Institute recently issued an infographic looking at the cost of staff turnover and the causes, impact, and potential solutions to this growing problem.
State Insurance Mandates For Autism Treatment Fall Short
Training Requirements for BSC-ASD Provided ABA Services
The Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (OMHSAS) has issued a new bulletin: OMHSAS-16-04 Training Requirements for Licensed Behavior Specialists Who Use Behavioral Specialist Consultant-Autism Spectrum Disorder Services to Provide Applied Behavioral Analysis. The new requirements are effective as of Sunday, May 15, 2016. This bulletin applies to organizations, individuals, and entities approved to provide Behavioral Specialist Consultant-Autism Spectrum Disorder (BSC-ASD) services, and who use these services to provide Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) in the fee-for-service and HealthChoices behavioral health managed care delivery systems. The purpose of this bulletin is to notify providers of the training requirements for newly licensed behavior specialists who use BSC-ASD services to provide ABA and who meet the training requirements for the behavior specialist license through trainings approved by the Bureau of Autism Services or the Behavior Analyst Certification Board.
Children’s Committee Materials from April 13, 2016
April is Autism Acceptance Month!
Pennsylvania is the first state to name April “Autism Acceptance Month.”
As autism awareness continues to grow, Pennsylvania is taking a step forward in the education and inclusion of individuals with autism, as Governor Tom Wolf proclaims April “Autism Acceptance Month.” Pennsylvania is one of the first states in the country to change from “awareness” to “acceptance.” This furthers the work of many families and self-advocates who have expressed the importance of moving from simply raising awareness about autism, to also include, better understand, and accept individuals with autism into full participation in community life.
Data Seminars: Developing, Collecting, and Analyzing
This is a free, statewide training opportunity for professionals who implement autism intervention support plans, collect and develop data tools, analyze data, and make instructional decisions. These seminars will be held across the state at various locations and facilitated by Bureau of Autism Services (BAS) clinical staff. More information and how to register is available on the BAS website.
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