Lines we must not cross: the field must stand firm on some issues
as addiction treatment receives more national
attention.(PERSP
This past spring and early summer we have seen a flurry of activity
that has energized and engaged the addiction treatment community in
considerable discussion. The HBO special broadcast on . . .
Book on Medicaid transformation.(BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
MONITOR)(Making Medicaid Work: A Practical Guide for Transforming
Medicaid)(B
In the newly released book Making Medicaid Work: A Practical Guide
for Transforming Medicaid, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, founder
of the Center for Health Transformation, and Rishabh . . .
Cornhuskers embrace community-based care: Nebraska has redesigned
its behavioral healthcare system.(SYSTEM
TRANSFORMATION)(Nebra
Nebraska is moving from an over-reliance on acute psychiatric
inpatient care to having more community-based services and more consumer
choices than ever before. In 2004, then Gov. Mike Johanns and . . .
Weighing Alli's impact: eating disorder patients might be
tempted to abuse the first FDA-approved nonprescription diet
pill.(EAT
In February the FDA approved Alli, an over-the-counter (OTC)
version of orlistat (Xenical). Alli is expected to arrive in drugstores
this month. The advent of America's first . . .
Manderscheid on Medicaid: an interview with federal government
veteran Ronald W. Manderscheid, PhD.(MEDICAID)(Interview)(Cover
s
Medicaid is an important funding source for mental health services,
and changes to this state/federal program can have drastic implications
for behavioral health provider organizations and the . . .
Abandoning our utopian fantasy: field professionals must come to
grips with the realities of the business world.(PERSPECTIVES)
My career has taken many twists and turns. I have worked on my own
in private practice and have jointly owned a multidisciplinary group
practice. I have been an employee within nonprofit and . . .
Thinking about it in tasty terms: a dessert analogy can help you
with the decision to choose a Web-based or client/server
applic
The technology choices today's behavioral healthcare
executives face can easily become complicated and overshadow the benefit
any technology could bring to an agency. One of the key . . .
Left out of the economy: much more must be done to help consumers
enter the workforce.(EMPLOYMENT SERVICES)
The argument that people with psychiatric disabilities cannot work
is an empty one, as anecdotal and research data have shown. Early in the
community mental health movement, the ability of people . . .
Preventing suicide minute by minute: crisis call centers can be
important partners with community-based resources.(COMMUNITY
COL
When it comes to preventing suicide, every minute counts. Every
minute in the United States, a person makes a suicide attempt. Every 16
minutes, a person ends his/her life. Each minute, then, . . .
A broader Medicaid program: North Dakota is the first state to
implement the federal Family Opportunity Act.(ADVOCACY)
In April, North Dakota became the first state to implement the
federal Family Opportunity Act (FOA), which allows families of children
with special healthcare needs/disabilities to purchase . . .
Informed purchasing decisions.(INTRODUCTION)(Editorial)
Behavioral health treatment centers often face tight budgetary
restraints, meaning many purchasing decisions cannot be made lightly.
Staff need accurate and up-to-date vendor information to make . . .
Online behavioral health programs.(BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
MONITOR)(Health Alliance Medical Plans Inc. partners with HealthMedia,
Inc.
Health Alliance Medical Plans (providing healthcare coverage to
more than 260,000 members in Illinois and Iowa) has selected
HealthMedia, Inc., a provider of scalable behavior change . . .
A new system for New Mexico: New Mexico and ValueOptions use
Braided Funding to transform the state's behavioral health
services
In recent years, calls for mental health reform have resonated
across the nation. New Mexico was one of the first states to enact
sweeping changes to its public behavioral healthcare system. At . . .
Restoring hope by rebuilding cognitive skills: cognitive skills
software is part of one agency's armamentarium for treating
schi
Traditional approaches to treatment of schizophrenia have tended to
focus on symptom reduction, targeted behavioral goals, emotional
regulation, and improved daily functioning. (1,2) The . . .
Moving toward recovery and accountability: factors stakeholders
need to keep in mind as Medicaid faces increasing
scrutiny.(MEDI
Medicaid plays a significant role in our country's healthcare
delivery system. Today 53 million individuals have health insurance
because of this vital federal/state program. For recipients . . .
AdCare expansion.(BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MONITOR)(Brief
article)
To meet its steady growth in volume of individuals treated for
alcohol and drug abuse, AdCare Hospital has expanded its Worcester,
Massachusetts, campus to include 95 Lincoln Street. Located next . . .
The value of productivity standards: staff will probably react
negatively at first, but managers can help them see their
value.(
In our work with hundreds of community behavioral health
organizations (CBHOs) over the past 12 years, my colleagues and I have
found that, if allowed, CBHOs choose not to focus on costs as part . . .
Saint Elizabeths goes green: Washington, D.C., is constructing an
environmentally friendly psychiatric facility.(FACILITY DESIGN
Sustainable or "green" design minimizes the environmental
impact of the construction and operation of buildings. At first glance,
integrating environmentally sensitive design into a new . . .
Handing over pen and paper: a freelancer can free up staff time
and produce professional reports.(MANAGEMENT)
The behavioral healthcare field is dramatically different from the
profession I entered more than 30 years ago. Back then paperwork
requirements were minimal. Progress notes were free-form, . . .
From the Snake Pit to Seabiscuit: reflecting on 65 years with
mental healthcare.(IN RETROSPECT)
After receiving a Lifetime Achievement award in the 2006 Lilly
Reintegration Awards, Behavioral Healthcare asked me to reflect on my
experiences in mental healthcare. Below I describe how I . . .
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