| Mental
Health System Reform
Reform
of the state's mental health system is an advocacy priority
for CHA. CHA is continuously working with legislators, regulators,
and payors to address the complex mental health crisis in
Connecticut.
As
part of its 2008
Legislative Agenda, CHA will:
- Support
initiatives across the continuum of care that would improve
Connecticut's system for providing care to children and
adults with mental health needs.
– Seek an increase in the State's intermediate care services
and programs.
- Ensure
that patients' interests are protected in the implementation
of the Behavioral Health Partnership.
- Reduce
emergency department overcrowding.
– Seek an expansion of mental health crisis and emergency
services.
Related
Testimony
Monday,
March 13, 2006
SB
578, An Act Implementing The Recommendations Of The Behavioral
Health Partnership Oversight Council and SB 622, An Act
Concerning Community-Based Mental Health Care
CHA
testified in support of these bills, which would improve
various aspects of Connecticut's system for providing mental
healthcare to children and adults with behavioral health
needs.
Click
here to view CHA's testimony on SB 578 and SB 622.
SB
601, An Act Concerning Community Mental Health Reinvestment
For Adults and SB 604, An Act Concerning Community Mental
Health Reinvestment For Children and Families
CHA
testified in support of these bills, which would ensure
the reinvestment of federal funds resulting from the Behavioral
Health Partnership into other mental health initiatives.
Click
here to view CHA's testimony on SB 601 and SB 604.
Thursday,
February 23, 2006
HB
5092, An Act Concerning The Admission And Care Of Patients
In Nursing Homes
CHA
submitted testimony on this bill, which would increase the
level of scrutiny given to mentally ill patients before
they can be admitted to a nursing facility by requiring
the nursing facility to make a written determination that
it has the appropriate resources required to care for the
patient.
Click
here to view testimony on HB 5092
Wednesday,
February 15, 2006
HB
5007, An Act Making Adjustments To The Budget For The Biennium
Ending June 30, 2007
Patrick
J. Monahan II, General Counsel and Vice President, Patient
Care Regulation, testified on this bill, urging funding
for recommendations advanced by the Lieutenant Governor's
Mental Health Cabinet, increased funding to ensure adequate
payment for mental health services, a budget provision that
requires the Behavioral Health Partnership to provide for
annual adjustments to all hospital rates at least equal
to the average increase granted during the fiscal year by
the Department of Public Social Services to HUSKY managed
care organizations, and a commitment of resources that ensures
proper placement of patients in need of mental health treatment
and reduces the number of patients waiting in hospital emergency
departments for mental health services.
Click
here to view Mr. Monahan's testimony on HB 5007
2005
Testimony
Monday,
March 28, 2005
SB
1237, An Act Concerning Community-Based Mental Health Care
CHA submitted testimony in support of this bill, which would
implement the recommendations of Lieutenant Governor Kevin
Sullivan's Mental Health Cabinet. The recommendations are
designed to comprehensively improve the state's mental health
system by improving outreach services, ensuring that "best
practices" continue to be developed and implemented, expanding
mental health services for children, expanding supportive
housing, providing mental health parity, and increasing
rates to providers, including certain hospital outpatient
clinics.
Click
here to view the testimony.
Thursday,
February 24, 2005
HB
6671, An Act Concerning The State Budget For The Biennium
Ending June 30, 2007, And Making Appropriations Therefor
Patrick
J. Monahan, CHA General Counsel and Vice President, Patient
Care Regulation, submitted testimony on this bill, supporting
the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services'
proposed expansion of certain mental health community initiatives
and increases in supportive housing funding, as these proposals
reflect in part some of the recommendations recently presented
to the Governor by the Lieutenant Governor's Mental Health
Cabinet.
Click
here to view the testimony.
2004
Testimony
Thursday,
March 11, 2004
SB
561, An Act Concerning Hospital Billing Practices
CHA submitted written testimony in support of this bill.
Click here to view the testimony.
Tuesday,
February 17, 2004
SB
5194, An Act Concerning Inpatient Data Regarding Children
And Youth In Need Of Behavioral Health Services
CHA
testified in support of this bill, which would require the
Department of Social Services (DSS), the Department of Children
and Families (DCF), the Office of Health Care Access (OHCA),
and CHA to work together to develop a system for hospitals
to track children awaiting behavioral health placement.
Click here to view the testimony.
2003
Testimony
Tuesday,
March 18, 2003
HB
1097, An Act Concerning Inpatient Data For Children And
Youth In Need Of Behavioral Health Services
CHA
submitted testimony opposing this bill, which would require
hospitals to report daily to the Department of Children
and Families on children with psychiatric diagnoses examined
and treated at the hospital Click
here to view the testimony.
Thursday,
March 13, 2003
HB
6450, An Act Facilitating Placement Of Children With Behavioral
Health Problems Awaiting Discharge From Hospital Emergency
Rooms
CHA
submitted written testimony opposing this bill, which would
require hospitals to report on a daily basis to the Department
of Children and Families (DCF) and the Office of Health
Care Access (OHCA) the number of children awaiting mental
health placement in the hospital's emergency department
and the number of available beds. Click
here to view the testimony.
HB
6548, An Act Concerning The State Budget For The Biennium
Ending June 30, 2005, And Making Appropriations Therefor
CHA
Vice President for Patient Care and Regulatory Services
Carrie Brady testified in opposition to this bill, which
would establish a grant-based system for the Department
of Mental Health and Addiction Services' managed care behavioral
health program. Click
here to view the testimony.
Monday,
February 10, 2003
SB
867, An Act Concerning Alternatives To Incarceration For
Persons With Psychiatric Disabilities
CHA
submitted testimony on this bill to the Judiciary Committee.
Click here to view the
testimony.
Friday,
February 7, 2003
SB
835, An Act Concerning Mental Health Services
SB
423, An Act Concerning Daily Data Collection On The Number
Of Patients With Psychiatric Diagnoses Held In Hospital
Emergency Departments
CHA
Vice President of Patient Care and Regulatory Services Carrie
Brady testified before the Public Health Committee on both
these bills. Click
here to view CHA's testimony on these bills.
2002
Testimony
Tuesday,
March 12, 2002
HB
5685, An Act Concerning The Use Of Physical Restraints On
Persons At Risk
CHA
Vice President of Patient Care and Regulatory Services Carrie
Brady testified in opposition to the proposal to establish
an additional regulatory scheme regarding the use of restraints.
Click here
to view CHA's testimony on this bill
Thursday,
March 7, 2002
SB
445, An Act Concerning the Department of Social Services
Payments For Hospital Inpatient, Outpatient, Mental Health
Services And Community Mental Health Services
CHA
Vice President of Finance and Insurance Services Steve Frayne
testified in support of CHA's proposal to increase Medicaid
reimbursement to hospitals. This bill is a key component
of CHA's legislative agenda. Click
here to view CHA's testimony on these bills
SB
531, An Act Concerning Payments For Mental Health Services
CHA
Vice President of Finance and Insurance Services Steve Frayne
testified in support of
CHA's
proposal to increase Medicaid payments for mental health
services.
SB
533, An Act Concerning The Establishment Of Medicaid Rates
CHA
Vice President of Finance and Insurance Services Steve Frayne
testified in support of the bill that would rebase Medicaid
rates. Click
here to view CHA's testimony on these bills
Thursday,
February 28, 2002
SB
249, An Act Increasing Appropriations To The Department
Of Children And Families To Expand Mental Health Services
To Children
CHA
submitted testimony in support of increasing appropriations
to the Department of Children and Families (DCF) to add
additional inpatient child psychiatric beds, establish two
child psychiatry crisis intervention units, and develop
a child psychiatric tracking system. Click here to view CHA's testimony on this bill.
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