Problems with Cal-AIM related updates to Avatar NX?
The CalAIM Workgroup is on the case! The workgroup meets every other week and works hard to address CalAIM implementation issues that arise in Avatar NX. The workgroup is comprised of BHRS representatives from the IT, Billing (a.k.a. MIS) and Quality Management Department as well as BHRS Direct Service line staff from across several adult and youth programs. They’ll be rotating direct service staff participation in the workgroup to give staff a chance to participate in improving users’ Avatar NX experience! The workgroup determines what to address by reviewing all questions and issues brought to QM, IT and Billing departments. If you have an issue, please continue to reach out to those departments.
They are currently tackling updating service reporting to incorporate the time fields that were updated to meet CalAIM requirements, updating the BHRS Assessment to reflect the new 7 Domain Assessment format to prepare for training BHRS frontline staff and much more!
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BHRS Leaders Host CalAIM Workshop Session at Stanford Conference
On March 21, BHRS Assistant Director Scott Gruendl, Quality Assurance Manager Betty Ortiz-Gallardo and CalAIM Project Manager Caprice Scott spoke at the 2024 Mental Health Equity and Advocacy RoundTable (MHEART), a “mini-conference” hosted by the Public and Community Track of the Stanford General Psychiatry Residency Program. Their workshop session was an introduction to CalAIM for psychiatry trainees, community health providers, researchers and clinicians.
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Contractor's Association Members Join CalAIM Steering Committee
New Steering Committee update! Members from the Contractor's Association (CA) will begin joining the monthly CalAIM Steering Committee meetings. The intent of this committee is to utilize project management tools and theories to ensure timely implementation of the CalAIM initiatives. This collaboration will ensure better communication between the CA and BHRS and help members to implement CalAIM initiatives.
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The California Health Care Foundation commissioned a statewide survey in spring 2023 among 1,196 people working at managed care plans, behavioral health organizations, community-based organizations, social services organizations and more in an effort to gain a clearer picture of how implementation is occurring in the field.
Findings demonstrate both successes and challenges that we at BHRS can relate to and learn from.
Check out the full report here.
Key findings include:
- Just over half of respondents (51%) said that access to services has gotten better under CalAIM.
- Views of the effectiveness of CalAIM implementation ranged from 33% in Alameda County to 61% in Santa Cruz County, with 44% in San Mateo County.
- Nearly six in 10 respondents (58%) were confident that CalAIM-related processes will become more effective over time, but they wanted to see those changes in less than a year.
- In San Mateo County specifically, check out how we stack up compared to other counties in terms of improvement of client experiences (pg. 10), organizational changes (pg. 17) overall satisfaction with CalAIM (pg. 21) and more.
- Comments from implementers include:
- “Documentation for behavioral health services for children with Medi-Cal has become more streamlined. We have had changes implemented to the EHR which help in this.” – Frontline, Mental Health Social Services Provider
- "Payment reform and billing coding changes need to reflect realities on the ground for community mental health providers — especially those for children and youth who require many collateral and family contacts." – Leader, Community Mental Health Provider
Be sure to check out the QM lightbulb which comes out the Friday before the Leadership meeting, which occurs on the third Wednesday of the month.
Please email Caprice Scott, CalAIM Project Manager, at cscott1@smcgov.org for any CalAIM questions.
For questions, feedback or to join this mailing list and receive this newsletter, please email Audrey Davis, BHRS Communication Specialist, at adavis2@smcgov.org.
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