July 2012 Update

The IBHI Board of Directors met in an extended session the weekend of July 12-14, 2012 and reviewed the organization’s work.  There are several major efforts under way and a lot of future potential.  As we post this to the Internet, our nation finds itself in ever greater need for behavioral health service and recovery. 

Emergency Care

Previous IBHI led work on improving Emergency Care for people with behavioral health problems is of increasing interest to many people.  This is a hopeful trend.  IBHI has been eager to encourage greater appreciation for the importance of restructuring emergency care to be more consumer-friendly and improve results.  Now, the Joint Commission has issued two changes in accreditation requirements for hospitals which are designed to improve this aspect of care, and seem likely to generate interest on the part of hospitals.  IBHI will be offering a full day seminar on the topic in Las Vegas on December 5, as a pre-conference program for the Mt Sinai sponsored National Update on Behavioral Health Emergencies.  Check the IBHI website for links to both programs.

Reducing Readmissions

Unfortunately, the federal Center for Medicare Medicaid Services (CMS) has rejected the much-hoped-for grant application for an Innovation grant, submitted by IBHI in partnership with Michigan PRO.  It was proposed to reduce readmissions to hospitals for any reason of people with behavioral health problems  As a result IBHI is now investigating finding one or two hospitals ready to try developing a pilot project on reducing these readmissions.  We have a process ready to go.  New York State Office of Mental Health is organizing such a project in New York.  The potential for major improvement is great.  A brief summary of a possible project is on the IBHI website.  Any interested person or organization should contact IBHI Executive Director Peter Brown at peter@ibhi.net

Key Topic Webinars

IBHI is planning to offer a series of webinars on key topics of improving behavioral health care. If you have a favorite concern, let us know.  It is our hope these webinars will lead to future collaborative initiatives to improve quality and outcome.

Policy Issues

With the Supreme Court’s approval of the Affordable Care Act, a variety of additional topics of concern are now surfacing.  IBHI plans to offer comments for your consideration on some of these, and invites your discussion of these comments and the underlying issues.