States Prepare for the Newly Insured: A Conversation about Mental Health and Substance Abuse Needs

Date: Mon, May 13, 2013
Time: 12:00 PM EDT; Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Of the 22 million uninsured expected to gain coverage under the Affordable Care Act in 2014, more than 4 million projected to take-up coverage will have mental health or substance use disorders. On this webinar, after a brief overview of new data made available by SAMHSA, state and local officials and other experts will talk about how states are preparing to ensure service access for these individuals newly covered through Medicaid and Health Insurance Exchanges...Click here to register.  [Source: Stafe Reforum]

Getting Ready for Expanded Coverage: State Efforts to Understand Health Care Workforce Needs

"Colorado: Since 2004, the Colorado Health Institute has analyzed data on the state’s health care workforce collected by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies. This data collection has expanded from physician-specific data to include dentists, registered nurses, social workers, psychologists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. Last spring, drawing on this information, the Institute reported on access to care and health care workforce issues in Colorado. In December, they released a report on how the distribution of the Colorado workforce affects the health care safety net and access to care."  Read more.  [Source: State Refor(u)m]

NASHP offers tools and insight on Health Care Reform

The National Association for State Health Policy (NASHP) recently released a communication that offers perspective and several tools on changes in health care nationally and statewide.  Highlights include:

• NASHP Executive Director Alan Weil launches his new blog Once in A Weil.  The blog will offer periodic perspectives on health policy, federalism, and the state of the states.
• A breakdown of accountable care activity in Colorado.
• New chart from State Refor(u)m that tracks Medicaid expansion decisions throughout the country.

[Source: NASHP]

Building on a Solid Foundation for the Navigator Program

"The insurance exchanges under development in many states may be brand new, but the navigator programs that will help Americans choose plans in the exchange need not be built from scratch, writes NASHP’s Rachel Dolan in a new blog post on statereforum.org." Read entire blog entry.  [Source: StateRefor(u)m]

All Together Now: Integrating Behavioral Health and Primary Care in Medicaid

"Integrating behavioral health and primary care can help the newly Medicaid eligible (and other enrollees) manage mental health and substance abuse issues.  This can improve quality of life, enable self-management, and avoid undesirable acute care utilization...." Read more.  (Source: State Reforum)