Are you ready for health reform?

Are you ready for Health Reform?

Or other major trends impacting how behavioral health will be delivered in the future?

NIATx has developed a Health Reform Readiness Index that is easy to complete and free. The brief tool assesses your readiness based on the organizational processes you need to have in place to participate in accountable care organizations or Medicaid; achieved desired clinical outcomes; and participate in the general health care system. Complete the Health Reform Readiness Index today and begin making your plans for pending changes in how behavioral health services are delivered.

The "Health Reform Readiness Index" was developed and tested in the twenty-two organization national "Accelerating Reform Initiative" project. The Accelerating Reform Initiative gives behavioral health care organizations the tools and peer supports they need to respond to the sweeping changes that parity, health care integration, and decreased grant funding may bring. Click here to see a list of additional Accelerating Reform Initiative resources.

Reclaiming Futures Looking For New Executive Director

"Reclaiming Futures at Portland State University, in downtown Portland along the tree-lined Park Blocks, is an excellent place to work. As our full-time national executive director, you will provide the vision, leadership, and direction to spread Reclaiming Futures -- a proven model used by 29 communities to help teens overcome drugs, alcohol and crime -- to new sites across the country. For position description and application instructions, visit: www.hrc.pdx.edu, under "Faculty and Administrative Opening." To learn more about Reclaiming Futures, visit www.reclaimingfutures.org."
"Application review begins mid-November and position is open until filled. The successful applicant is expected to start work April 2011. PSU is an AA/EO institution and welcomes applications from diverse candidates and candidates who support diversity."

Victor Capoccia on health reform and the Accelerating Reform Collaborative

With the announcement of the NIATx Accelerating Reform Collaborative, we asked NIATx Senior Scientist Victor Capoccia to share his views on health reform and how NIATx will position itself within that new environment.

1. What is your view on the current state of affairs in behavioral health?

Without question, this is the most exciting period I have experienced in my 40-year career in social welfare and behavioral health. Here is why:

• There is greater knowledge about mental and substance based disorders and successful treatments. We have medications as well as counseling protocols that are tested and efficacious.
• Despite a slow economy, there are more resources to prevent and treat mental and addiction disorders than ever before; and there are more to come with the provisions of the Accountable and Affordable Care Act.
• There is greater understanding and awareness of addiction as a treatable health condition than at any previous period. Stigma still exists, but it exists in tandem with a better public understanding of mental health and alcohol and drug misuse.

Take these three forces, and they shout: OPPORTUNITY! Shame on us if we fail to make the changes needed to reach those who continue to suffer with untreated addiction and mental health conditions.

2.What kind of opportunities do you see health reform presenting to behavioral health organizations?

I feel that health care reform presents the following opportunities:

• Coverage of 32 million uninsured Americans that largely include a mental health and addiction benefit; this coverage includes dependents up to 26 years of age and low-income adults up to 100% of the federal poverty level.
• Insurance coverage if these conditions existed prior to coverage.
• Parity with general medical care for addiction and mental health treatments.
• Medical homes for chronic and acute patients.
• Prevention screening and intervention for Mental Health and Addiction disorders.
• Workforce development and training for behavioral health professionals.
• And many others...

3. What is the NIATx Accelerating Reform Collaborative?

The Accelerating Reform Collaborative comes from a simple premise: in a period of great opportunity where the "stars have aligned", we need to transform our treatment systems to reach more of the 20 million untreated people with addiction disorders and the 1/3 untreated of those with mental illness. Our current system is designed to reach 10% of 23 million people with addiction disorders, and 66% of people with mental illness. "Every system is perfectly designed to produce the results that it produces".

Only transformation of the system will reach beyond current performance.

The Accelerating Reform Collaborative is a collection of innovators from provider, academic, consumer and policy groups who are willing to share their ideas and experience to redesign the system to reach the untreated.

4. What's special about this collaborative? Why should organizations join?

It's the PEOPLE. The colleagues, the experience, the ideas. This is where the leading edge is being cut.

5. What is NIATx's future role with health care reform?

NIATx has and will continue to focus on the customer, understand the patient experience, and design systems that will help meet those patient needs.

That is our core, our soul.