Investing in Innovations and Outcomes
Monday, January 30, 2017
10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Memorial Center for Learning and Innovation
Campus of Memorial Hospital – 698 N. Rutledge St.
Springfield, IL 62702
RSVPs required: click here
Behavioral health services are essential health services that not only improve the overall health and wellness of patients, but reduce costs for other public systems like child welfare, criminal justice, and education. While research shows that community behavioral health services offer a significant return on investment, providers often cannot implement a full range of evidence-based practices and programs due to restrictive payment models and lack of sufficient funding. Inadequate reimbursement rates, repeated state funding cuts, and an ongoing budget impasse have all had devastating effects on Illinois’ behavioral health care system, leaving many Illinois residents without access to the services they need. As Illinois seeks alternative solutions to expand behavioral health care services through a proposed 1115 Medicaid Waiver, policymakers should consider specific actions that will allow behavioral health providers to offer a wide range of innovative and evidence-based services to patients.
On January 30th, the Community Behavioral Healthcare Association of Illinois (CBHA), the Illinois Association for Behavioral Health (IABH), and the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (IARF), in partnership with the Behavioral Health and Economics Network (BHECON), will host a discussion on how to use different funding streams to support new and innovative methods of delivering behavioral healthcare. Topics of discussion will include: How have other states succeeded in implementing evidence-based practices? What payment models provide the most flexibility for serving complex populations?
The third in a series of forums, Investing in Innovations and Outcomes, will feature Vic DiGravio, President/CEO of the Massachusetts Association for Behavioral Health, who will provide a scan of how Massachusetts has successfully implemented financing, delivery system, and payment reforms to expand access to healthcare’s emerging and evidence-based practices.
Forum participants are asked to come prepared for a discussion surrounding rate restructuring efforts and possible alternative funding streams that could be used successfully to expand access to evidence-based practices in Illinois.
After an afternoon session on strategic advocacy efforts, attendees will leave the forum with a better understanding of the key policy and advocacy strategies that will be required of the behavioral health system of advocates to achieve the necessary reforms.
The forum will be held on January 30th in Springfield, Illinois at the Memorial Center for Learning Innovation, located on the campus of Memorial Hospital. The forum will begin at 10:00 a.m. and conclude at 3:00 p.m. Lunch for attendees will be included. Additional details, including the agenda and information about all speakers will be available on the registration site. Interested parties are also invited to visit the official BHECON website at www.BHECON.org for more information on what Illinois, as well as the four other participating states, are accomplishing through these collaborative efforts.
RSVPs for the January 30th forum are required; if you are interested in attending click here.
A map of the building where the forum will take place can be found here.
About BHECON: Breaking down policy silos
The Behavioral Health + Economics Network, known as BHECON (pronounced “beacon”) unites diverse stakeholders in a series of forums to examine and advance policy reforms to strengthen states’ behavioral health delivery systems. Led by the National Council for Behavioral Health with our state partners, BHECON participants include individuals and organizations recognized for their commitment to improving lives of people living with serious mental illness and incorporates representatives from the behavioral health, criminal justice, and public safety sectors, along with individuals working in the greater medical field. BHECON has partnered with academic research institutions to provide data and analysis specific to the topics presented at the forums and has curated national data in support of this effort. Learn more at www.BHECON.org.
