Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness

Working Well, the Texas Demonstration to Maintain Independence and Employment, tests whether health and employment-related services can prevent workers with serious health issues from becoming disabled and dependent on federal benefits. These Issue Briefs introduce the program and present participant data. Brief 3 examines healthcare support workers participating in the project who are at risk for becoming disabled themselves. The website has participant stories and further project information.

This brief, the third and final in a series, offers information on how services and supports delivered by peer providers could be financed through state and federal programs. Review approaches to different financing strategies for services rendered by Consumer Operated Service Programs (COSPs) and peer providers in traditional mental health agencies. Also included are procedure codes commonly used to bill and two federal funding streams currently for financing and provides examples from states.

This second brief, which is part 2 of a 3 part series, provides information on approaches policymakers may consider as they establish and support peer providers in traditional mental health provider agencies and networks. It discusses approaches to introducing the concept of peer providers to agencies, strategies for addressing staff attitudes regarding peer providers, supervising peer providers, liability and risk management, and other pressing issues for agencies that employ peer providers.

This first brief, which is part 1 of a 3 part series, aims to provide information to state policymakers on the two prominent models of peer support services (COSPs and peer providers). The brief discusses each model, provides examples of programs for each model, and offers a discussion of how policymakers might assess which model is right for their jurisdiction. In addition the document sets forth key questions for policymakers who are interested in developing and supporting these models.

The DMIE awards funds to states to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions that are intended to improve health care coverage and employment services for working adults with potentially disabling conditions. It allows states to offer Medicaid-equivalent coverage, employment support, and case management services in order to sustain employment. This issue brief reviews the rationale for the DMIE, the interventions of the four most recent states, evaluation, and information dissemination.

This annual conference focuses on quality of services for people with developmental disabilities. Held Aug. 10-12 in Baltimore, this year’s conference featured agencies that have implemented person-centered planning and individualized support structures. One highlight was individuals who have developed their own micro-enterprises. In addition, innovations in policies, systems issues, and quality assurance methodologies were presented.

A recent trend in health care has been the increasing integration of behavioral health services into primary care settings. This paper discusses the benefits of such integration and the role of safety net primary care providers as behavioral health providers within the Medicaid program. The authors focus on organizational structure and reimbursement models in analyzing how four state programs achieve this integration.

Approximately 2.4 million young adults had a serious mental illness in 2006. To better understand challenges that will arise as these youth transition into adulthood, GAO was asked to provide information on the demographic characteristics of these young adults, how selected states assist them, and how the federal government supports states in serving them. The data come from national surveys, the Social Security Administration, published research, and site visits.

Using information from published literature, interviews and focus groups, this review covers a wide variety of characteristics of the jobs of direct care workers in the behavioral health field. It also looks at the prospects and requirements for developing more effective career paths that recognize and reward quality workers. It concludes with 12 policy recommendations.

Wisconsin uses MIG funds to increase integrated employment using strategies such as vocational planning, peer support, social enterprises, and self-employment. The first resource here presents best practices in integrated employment from 23 states. The rest are manuals and training materials for replicating vocational planning, social enterprise, and self-employment programs.