Arkansas legislators are putting together a report recommending legislation during the 2023 session aimed at strengthening mental and behavioral health services for Arkansasans of all ages and incomes.
The Joint Health Services Subcommittee met Monday to highlight the strengths of the state’s existing mental and behavioral health care resources in accordance with a 2021 law that requires Congress to recommend potential policy changes for 2023. and discussed the shortcomings.
Rep. DeAnn Vaught (R-Horatio) sponsored the 2021 legislation and told the subcommittee that the debate would lead to policies that would make Arkansas a “flagship” example of mental health infrastructure that other states would follow. said he wants to
“We were hearing from health care providers that there was no proper bridge between them and DHS,” she said, referring to the state Department of Human Services. She said, “I thought the best way to handle this was to bring everyone together and do our best to put mental health at the top of people’s list.”
Congress has a Mental Health/Behavioral Health Working Group divided into several subgroups. Vought chairs the Prevention and Early Intervention Subgroup, which focuses on collaboration among state agencies to assist people in Arkansas who are at risk or at risk of crisis. She said she is considering creating a role for her DHS.
“Many of these groups didn’t know what each group was doing. Perhaps if someone was in charge of it, these bridges would be built much faster than they are being built today.” There is a possibility that it will be
The subgroup chair will prepare a report of Monday’s discussion and submit it to the Arkansas Legislative Council for further consideration.
More than 34,000 children and nearly 15,000 adults in Arkansas with behavioral health problems are at risk of being placed in a psychiatric hospital setting because they are “unresponsive” to outpatient counseling. We need home-based and area-based services so we can avoid it. Data provided by DHS.
More than 55,000 Arkansas residents are enrolled in DHS’s provider-led Arkansas Shared Savings Entity (PASSE), a program for Medicaid recipients with complex behavioral health, developmental, or intellectual disabilities .
DHS staff reviewed the program and determined that most PASSE members were receiving the services they needed, but others were not receiving the amount or duration of services required to meet their needs. said Melissa Weatherton, Director of Developmental Disabilities Services at .
Weatherton said the agency recently received a report on its service. This is even more useful for policy recommendations.
“We are seeing services that we think would be useful for PASSE members, but they are not being used,” she said.
DHS Administrator Mark White stressed that while the service is a topic often debated about possible improvements, the department is working on policy changes beyond just Medicaid reimbursement services.
“We want[healthcare providers]to partner with good organizations that provide other resources as well,” White said. “We know the social determinants of health. We know they affect individuals and their ability to recover and thrive. Also, we want hospitals to find partners in the community and lead people when needed.”
Counselor and owner of Harrison’s Mental Health Clinic, Shauna Barnes, said the legislature’s efforts would give Arkansas people “hope” that mental and behavioral health care would be more accessible. Told.
Mental health care providers statewide are not in sufficient numbers to meet the needs of communities in a timely manner, and with most providers having months-long waiting lists, Burns said, “we are getting tired. I’m here.”
“If a child is suicidal, in danger, and unable to seek help, it’s been too long,” she said.
Burns said many people misunderstand mental health as simply helping someone manage their symptoms and stay alive. rice field.
“There are many things we can do to not only help people recover, but to stay better and overcome their problems once and for all,” Barnes said.
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