SAVE THE DATES

National Council's Hill Day
Sept. 17-18, 2019
Washington, D.C.

BHCalCon™
CBHA Behavioral Health Conference
Oct. 2-3, 2019
Redondo Beach, CA
Registration is now open!

CBHA Advocacy Day 2020
January 27-28, 2020
Citizen Hotel
Sacramento, CA


It's Membership Renewal Time! Check your email for our reminders!


NOTICE : Hyperlinks are now GREEN . Click the green bold texts to be redirected to its respective link.
MEMBERS NEWSLETTER
July 11, 2019
The Month to Celebrate Independence and
Promote Awareness

Greetings Members!

This month we celebrated the independence of our nation and commemorated the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This month is also recognized as National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA):

  • Over 70% of Black/African American adolescents with a major depressive episode did not receive treatment for their condition.
  • Almost 25% of adolescents with a major depressive episode in the last year were Hispanic/Latino.
  • Asian American adults were less likely to use mental health services than any other racial/ethnic groups.
  • In the past year, nearly 1 in 10 American Indian or Alaska Native young adults had serious thoughts of suicide.
  • In the past year, 1 in 7 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults had a diagnosable mental illness.
 
CBHA is proud of the clinicians who work in the trenches to provide needed services to promote the mental health of racially and ethnically diverse groups.

Budget
There is a lot happening with the new Administration. Governor Newsom finalized his budget which can be found here .

CBHA is proud that the advocacy we led for amelioration of the workforce shortage, our top member-identified issue, resulted in over 80 million dollars being set aside to fund the Workforce, Education and Training efforts of the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development’s Five-Year Workforce Plan. This plan outlines how to bolster the behavioral health workforce across the state, and we are proud to have partnered... continue reading
CBHA HOUSEKEEPING
Committee Conference Call Schedule
Be an active member and participate on our committee calls! We need your input to help shape our advocacy and programming efforts on your behalf.
The passcode to access the Public Policy Committee, Children's Committee, Adults/Older Adults Committee, and SUDs Committee meetings is now 757-200-610. The conference line remains as (267) 930-4000.  View the Conference Call Schedule (PDF) here.
We need members on our Membership Committee!
Membership is critical to the sustainability and growth of CBHA, which allows us to advocate on your behalf! Please consider volunteering - commitment is only a one hour call per month, plus minimal time reviewing documents or proposals. Email response@cccbha.org if interested.
New Membership Level for Smaller Nonprofit Behavioral Health Agencies.
 Please consider sharing our membership information with agencies that should join. This new level helps those who have a small budget be a part of the conversation.
 E mail  response@cccbha.org for more information.
Volunteering for a CBHA committee is a leadership opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. To apply,  download and fill out the application form  and send it to response@cccbha.org.
We're social!
It's Membership Renewal Season!

We hope you didn’t miss our snail mail and email reminders! Our snail mail reminder included our perks and accomplishments, as this year has been full! You can quickly log on to your profile and update your information. To generate the most accurate membership dues, please fill out all information requested. If you need assistance logging in, please email response@cccbha.org.

Important Announcement
As CBHA moves forward, we need your accurate revenue figures to represent you for our policy and legislative purposes. All requested information in the renewal application needs to be accurately filled out. Please have your CFO or main financial officer fill out the financial information in the renewal application, including the ‘Total Substance Use Disorder Revenue’- if it is 0, please indicate so. We thank you for your faith, cooperation, and continued membership with us.
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Our new referral program is sure to save you money!
Simply refer us to nonprofit agencies that are not current members. If they apply and are approved to become a CBHA member, you'll receive one  FREE full registration to a policy forum for 2019-2020. Tap into your network and make it work for you! Get a jump start on earning a  FREE full registration to a policy forum!

 Registration is now open for CBHA’s first full conference
BHCalCon 2019!

We have many exciting speakers and sessions in development that we’ll announce as they are confirmed. A sneak peek: Chuck Ingoglia, CEO of the National Council for Behavioral Health will speak during one of our General Sessions. We’re also excited to announce that Open Minds will be presenting a series of five workshops focused on how to contract with managed care organizations. This is a complex issue that many of our members and agencies across the state are facing, and these workshops will provide valuable information. The workshop series is being sponsored by Qualifacts, one of CBHA’s Business Associates. We’re thrilled to share that CIBHS will hold a QI workshop focused on real-world strategies to improve processes in community-based organizations, as this is a topic that was requested by our members.

Stay tuned for more developments soon!  
Independence Day is over, but what better way to celebrate what makes our democracy great than by speaking up for policies that expand access to health care? Join the National Council for Behavioral Health and more than 20 partners for Hill Day 2019, September 17-18, in Washington, D.C. Don’t miss this opportunity to take part in behavioral health’s largest advocacy event.
SAMHSA: New Free E-Learning Program on Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals

The U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (HHS OMH) announced a new, free and accredited e-learning program: Improving Cultural Competency for Behavioral Health Professionals. The program, available via OMH’s Think Cultural Health website, is designed to develop behavioral health providers' knowledge and skills related to culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS).
The purpose of this Information Notice is to inform the County Mental Health Plans (MHPs) of the following: 
• The Online Provider System (OPS) is being updated and migrated to a new system platform. 
• Steps the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) will take to prepare for the migration. 
• Steps that MHPs must take to prepare for the “OPS Rewrite.” 
The migration to the new system platform is referred to as the “OPS Rewrite” and is estimated to occur after the webinar. Link to vendor form. Click here to see all prior year MHSUDS Information Notices.
This information notices provides guidance to Mental Health Plans (MHPs) and Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) Counties, herein referred to as Plans, on their obligations to recover and report over payments made by the Plans to their contracted providers per the Federal Medicaid Managed Care Final Rule (Final Rule) and the Federal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Services Parity Final Rule (parity Rule) requirements.
Click here to see all prior year MHSUDS Information Notices.
MAT Toolkits/Resources for Counselors, Residential Facilities and Consumers

With support from the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), Harbage Consulting is creating a series of toolkits aimed at educating the SUD workforce about MAT and how it can help the clients they serve. The most recent toolkit is aimed at helping substance use counselors become familiar with MAT and have conversations with their clients about how MAT can help them. The toolkit contains a two-part booklet explaining the research supporting MAT; quick guide documents with information on the FDA-approved MAT medications and finding a prescriber; instructions on using the overdose reversal drug Narcan; and resources for family and friends. The toolkit is available at www.californiamat.org/matproject/mat-toolkits.

Another toolkit released by Harbage Consulting, created with support from the California Health Care Foundation, is aimed at informing residential treatment facilities about how they can offer MAT within their facility, either by allowing clients to access their medications during their stay, or by receiving approval from DHCS to provide Incidental Medical Services (IMS). The toolkit contains information about the science behind MAT; process for receiving IMS approval; and how providers can become DATA 2000 waivered to prescribe buprenorphine. The toolkit also contains sample policies and procedures for providing IMS, so that facilities can quickly adopt the necessary measures to safely provide clients medications. The toolkit is available at www.californiamat.org/matproject/mat-toolkits.

The latest resource is a consumer-facing flyer to inform potential clients about the benefits of MAT. We encourage you to display the flyer in waiting rooms/common areas and/or distribute copies to your clients. The flyer is available in color or black-and-white at www.californiamat.org/matproject/mat-toolkits. Email chelsea@harbageconsulting.com if you are interested in receiving printed copies of the toolkits or flyer for your organization.
Investment in Mental Health Wellness Grant Program for Children and Youth 

Please see information below about the Mental Wellness Grant Program for Children and Youth (CY Program).  Eligible applicants include a county; counties applying jointly; or a private, nonprofit corporation or public agency designated by a county (or counties applying jointly) to be a co-applicant. We encourage you to reach out to your county to encourage them to go after this funding and to consider partnering with them if your agency is open to that option.  

"The California Health Facilities Financing Authority (CHFFA) is pleased to invite California counties to submit applications for the Investment in Mental Wellness Grant Program for Children and Youth (CY Program) during the second funding round..." Read full details here
DMC-ODS TA webinar – August 1 st

The next DMC-ODS TA webinar will be held on Thursday, August 1 st from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. This webinar will review procedures for collecting and returning DMC-ODS client Treatment Perception Surveys and will be led by Cheryl Teruya from UCLA Integrated Substance Abuse Programs.
Materials will be emailed out in advance of the
webinar. We look forward to your participation!


Updated DMC-ODS FAQs
As mentioned on the June 6 th DMC-ODS TA webinar, the DMC-ODS frequently asked questions (FAQs) have recently been consolidated and updated. We encourage you to check back periodically as the FAQs are updated on an ongoing and as-needed basis.
Timely Grants Assist with Opioid Crisis
Sierra Health Foundation awards funding to several Marin agencies

More than 2,000 people die from opioid-related deaths in California each year, and Marin County is not immune. It has averaged 215 drug-overdose fatalities over the past seven years, many opioid-related, ac­cording to the Marin County Department of Health and Hu­man Services (HHS).
But there is good news... continue reading
OC Health Care Agency receives $18 million to support Behavioral Health System Transformation Innovation Project

...The INN project was born after the community identified the fragmented public and private behavioral health systems as a barrier to receiving the right care at the right time. “The project, unlike any other effort in California or nationally, aims to create a public and private behavioral health partnership that is... continue reading
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has recently launched a new storytelling effort, That’s Medicaid

That’s Medicaid highlights people who have benefited from Medicaid at critical points in their lives. RWJF will continue adding new stories over the coming months, and seeks your help identifying and connecting with individuals or families who are currently or were previously covered by Medicaid.

For additional background on the project, what the Foundation is looking for, and what participation entails in greater detail, please email Jake Skubish at jskubish@messagepartnerspr.com or call 202-868-4815.
CBHA Affinity Partners offer approved services that benefit our members while supporting our advocacy efforts.
HR Question: Inclement Weather

Question : Last week our offices were closed because of inclement weather. Do we need to pay our employees for the week? If not, would they be eligible for unemployment compensation?

Answer : When your business closes early, opens late, or closes for the week due to inclement weather, how you pay employees will depend on whether you have an inclement weather policy or an established practice for office closures. If you do not have a policy or practice, whether your employees are eligible for unemployment compensation depends on whether they are nonexempt or exempt. Further, whether employees would be eligible for unemployment insurance depends upon the circumstances and the particular state; employees may be able to qualify for some assistance through the state’s unemployment department. READ MORE HERE .
We appreciate our Business Associates for their partnerships that both provide our members exceptional services and sponsor our advocacy efforts.
Genoa Healthcare Rolls Out Its Integrated Pharmacy Model in California
Medication adherence is vital in managing any chronic disease, but it is especially critical in treatment for mental health and substance use disorders. At Genoa Healthcare, we’ve been focusing on ways to improve medication adherence for over a decade. Our more than 400 pharmacies are embedded in community mental health centers across the country – and this year, we opened our first California pharmacy. In fact, our model has proven to help patients stay on their medications at a rate of more than 90 percent, compared to an average rate of about 50 percent with a traditional approach. Learn more about our approach to medication adherence through on-site, integrated pharmacies.
Find more information on how Symed can help your organization. Click the photo below for their services.
We understand that all specialty healthcare billing is distinctly different.

SyMed’s accounts receivable and reimbursement specialist are highly trained and dedicated to keeping your revenue stream alive. Call 800.400.7236 for a free consultation.