This month three workgroup subcommittees on Integration of Health and Behavioral Health all held their initial meetings. Members that make up those workgroups will be taken from the larger workgroup membership as listed below. Following the list is an outline of the goals of each subcommittee.
Workgroup Members
Public Representatives:
• Dr. David Buck, Associate Professor, Baylor College of Medicine
• Dr. Eugenia Curet, Director, Student Health Services, University of Texas at Brownsville
• Douglas Denton, Executive Director, Homeward Bound, Inc.
• Dr. Lynda Frost, Director, Hogg Foundation for Mental Health at the University of Texas at Austin
• Dr. Angelo Giardino, Medical Director, Texas Children’s Health Plan –
• Michael Halligan, Owner, J&M Etc, Inc.
• Dr. David Harmon, Vice-President Medical Affairs, Superior Health Plan
• Dr. Joyce Mauk, President, Child Study Center
• Dr. Susan Milam, Government Relations Director, National Association of Social Workers
• Dr. Whitney Monge – Director of Clinical Affairs, Texas Association of Community Health Centers
• Robin Peyson, Executive Director, National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Edgar Prettyman, CEO, Texas NeuroRehab Center
• Dr. Ollie Seay, Health Psychology Program Director, Texas State University
• Gyl Switzer, Director of Public Policy, Mental Health America of Texas
• Dr. David Weigle, Assistant Dean, Graduate Medical Education and Facility Development, University of Texas Medical Branch
• Dr. Jeffrey Wherry, Director, Institute for Child and Family Services, Texas Tech University
• Inman White, CEO, Community Healthcare
Agency Representatives:
• Patricia Brewer, Director of Special Projects, Texas Department of Insurance
• Dr. James Rogers, Medical Director, Department of Family and Protective Services
• Luanne Southern, Deputy Commissioner, Department of State Health Services
• Tom Valentine, Senior Policy Advisor, Health and Human Services Commission
• Jon Weizenbaum, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Aging and Disability Services
Adjunct Members:
• Matt Wolff, Mental Health Policy Analyst, Office of State Senator Deuell
• Dan Sutherland, Health Policy Analyst, Office of State Representative Truitt
Workgroup Subcommittees
Policy Subcommittee will:
• Review relevant Texas statutes and administrative rules.
• Assess what changes to the public financing system, in addition to modifications to public and private billing practices, could further integrate health care within the state, including but not limited to: reimbursement rates, billable services and professions authorized to bill for services.
• Assess opportunities for increasing integrated health care within the state through the assistance of technological solutions.
• Determine workforce issues affecting successful implementation of integrated health care in the state, and how increased use of allied health professionals could foster additional integration.
The workgroup on Policy met on January 7, 2010 and the agenda for that meeting: http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/news/meetings/past/2010/010710_BHW_SubCom.html.
Service Delivery Subcommittee will:
• Review models of integrated health care.
• Assess considerations that should be taken into account in integrated health care settings with respect to specific patient populations, including children, people with brain injuries, minority groups, low-income individuals, and vulnerable populations.
• Assess rural and urban considerations that should be taken into account in integrated health care settings.
• Identify opportunities for increased coordination between public providers.
• Develop goals for integrated health care settings and methods for evaluating progress toward those goals.
The workgroup on Service Delivery met on January 7, 2010 and the agenda for that meeting: http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/news/meetings/past/2010/010710_BHW_Workgroup.html.
Training and Public Education Subcommittee will:
• Identify opportunities for incorporating an integrated health care component into graduate and medical school coursework, provider training, faculty training, in addition to continuing education curricula.
• Outline standards and competencies for health care provider training on integrated health care.
• Evaluate ways to improve the cultural competency of health care providers with respect to providing integrated healthcare services.
• Develop recommendations for establishing a peer mentoring progra
m to allow health care providers to learn from one another about practicing in an integrated health care setting.
• Outline strategies for public education campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the relationship between health and behavioral health issues, including identifying the most effective media venues and technological approaches for effectively raising awareness among health care providers and the public.
The workgroup on Training and Public Education met on January 14, 2010 and the agenda for that meeting: http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/news/meetings/past/2010/011410_BHW_Workgroup.html.
The subcommittees will meet again sometime in February. Future meeting dates and additional information will be posted at the following site: http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/about_hhsc/AdvisoryCommittees/BehavioralHlth/BehavioralHealth.shtml.
