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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2017.06.15 - 22996MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #17186 BY: Commissioners Shelley Taub, District #12; Helaine Zack, District #18; Bob Hoffman, District #2; Bill Dwyer, District #14; Marcia Gershenson, District #13; Hugh Crawford, District *9; and Nancy Quarles, District #17 IN RE: BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS - PROTECTING THE FUNDING AND PRESERVATION OF PUBLIC OVERSIGHT AND DELIVERY OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES To the Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen: WHEREAS Michigan residents who have a developmental disability, mental illness, substance use disorder, or children with serious emotional disturbance, receive specialty public mental health services delivered by Community Mental Health Services Programs (CMHSP); and WHEREAS CMHSPs are public entities created by county governments to provide a comprehensive array of mental health services to meet the needs of people regardless of their ability to pay; and WHEREAS specialty services and supports are primarily funded through Michigan's ten Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (P1HP) under contract with the state Medicaid agency; and WHEREAS PIHPs directly manage Substance Use Block Grant funding and local substance use funding, and each P1HP contracts with CMHSPs and other providers within its region to deliver publicly-funded services and supports; and WHEREAS Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN) is one of Michigan's ten Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (P1HP), as well as a CM HSP; and WHEREAS OCHN identifies, influences, and delivers services and supports to approximately 25,000 Oakland County residents, as well as nearly 60,000 people who contact the 24-hour helpline annually for assistance; and WHEREAS services that are unique to the public mental health system and not offered by private Medicaid Health Plans (MHP) include case management, community living supports, criminal justice/jail diversion, employment, housing, peer mentor/supports and respite; and WHEREAS the MDHHS launched the Section 298 Initiative, based upon Section 298 of Public Act 268 of 2016, a statewide effort to improve coordination of physical health and behavioral health services in Michigan; and WHEREAS the MDHHS established the Behavioral Health Section 298 workgroup in response to Michigan Legislature's request for recommendations, "regarding the most effective financing model and policies for behavioral health services in order to improve the coordination of behavioral and physical health services for individuals with mental illnesses, intellectual and developmental disabilities and substance use Disorders"; and WHEREAS the final report, delivered to Michigan legislators on March 15, 2017, recommended the state should retain system structures for Medicaid funding with separate funding for and management of physical health flowing through the MHP system and separate funding that flows through the public PIHP/CMHSP system; and WHEREAS the Michigan Legislature's 2018 budget recommendation would begin the process of ending OCHN's status as one of Michigan's 10 PIHPs and Section 234 in Senate Bill 135 would put MHPs in control of all publicly-funded mental health-related services and supports by 2020; and WHEREAS Section 234 ignores the recommendation of the Section 298 workgroup, does not lower costs, does not provide better care nor improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations; and it does not provide details regarding purpose of integration; and WHEREAS Section 234 removes OCHN's role of contracting with local mental health and substance use providers and would leave OCHN as a designated provider with general funds for the priority populations; and WHEREAS without administrative oversight of the Medicaid funds; OCHN's role will be decreased. OCHN's ability to be more cost effective and having greater quality outcomes than HMOs will be lost; and WHEREAS according to MDHHS, the average number of mental health visits authorized for qualifying MHP enrollees in 2014 was only four; and in 2015, only 10 percent of all contacts for Medicaid recipients seeking behavioral health services were with a behavioral health professional; and WHEREAS MHPs reported administrative costs of 15%. In comparison, OCHN reported administrative expenses of only 4.82% for community mental health staff and 1.47% for delegated functions. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners is opposed to the privatization of public dollars and supports maintaining public oversight of mental health services, and Sta.K4Utr.&e. Cqmmissioner B Dlitrict #2 _Q`ommissioner Marcia GOrshenson Distribt/#1 does not support abandoning its constitutional obligation or relinquishing its moral charge to assist in supporting the dreams and aspirations of the most vulnerable persons to the private/for-profit health plans. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the Oakland County Board of Commissioners encourages the Michigan House and Senate to appropriate funding which includes a policy that protects and promotes the public oversight and public delivery of Community Mental Health services that currently exists. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds is requested to forward copies of this adopted resolution to Michigan's Governor and Lieutenant Governor, the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader, the Speaker of the House, the House Minority Leader, the Oakland County delegation to the Michigan Legislature, the Director of Michigan Department of Public Health, the Oakland County Executive, and the Oakland County Community Mental Health Board and Director. Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution. Commissioner Hejai District-4418 I Commissioner Bil wve District #14 \ /) 91/issioner Hug Cr ford Disteict #9 Elomrssioner/A--/ Commissioner District # Commissioner Commissioner—, District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Commissioner Commissioner District # District # Resolution #17186 June 15, 2016 The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no objections.