By Erynne Jones
Senior Policy Consultant
Often, the challenge in increasing access to mental health services in diverse communities can be as much about cultural competency and reducing stigma as it is about having available clinicians and facilities. Cultural competency can be a big deal in these communities, helping make consumers feel comfortable accessing the behavioral health care they need....
Our Blog
Three Reasons Delivery System Transformation Is Here to Stay
(March 15, 2017)By Carol Backstrom
Principal and Director, Delivery System Transformation
Much has been said (and speculated) about the future of the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid expansion, and insurance exchanges. While policy makers and pundits in Washington agree that change is afoot, one thing seems clear: health care delivery system transformation is here to stay....
California’s Innovative Approach to “Whole Person” Care
(March 1, 2017)By Lucy Pagel, Policy Consultant
and Jennifer Ryan, Vice President
California recently launched an innovative new initiative – the Whole Person Care (WPC) Pilot program – designed to take a comprehensive approach to improving the health outcomes of Medi-Cal beneficiaries who are high utilizers of the health care system. Our team has been proud to work with the Department of Health Care Services on the design and implementation of the WPC Pilot program. Today, Harbage Consulting released an overview of the program entitled, California’s Whole Person Care Pilot Program: County Partnerships to Improve the Health of Medi-Cal Beneficiaries....
Improving Care for Medi-Cal Enrollees with Substance Use Disorders
(February 27, 2017)By Molly Brassil, Director, Behavioral Health Policy
and Courtney Kashiwagi, Senior Policy Consultant
This month, two California counties began delivering substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services to Medi-Cal enrollees under the state’s pilot program testing a new delivery system for enrollees with SUDs. The pilot, known as the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS), was authorized in 2015 by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) under California’s Medicaid Section 1115 waiver....
Medi-Cal 2020: One Year Later
(January 18, 2017)By Lucy Pagel
Policy Consultant
Approved at the end of 2015, California’s Medicaid section 1115 waiver renewal, known as Medi-Cal 2020 is now well underway. The waiver has many components, but the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) was particularly active in three areas during 2016: 1) The Public Hospital redesign and Incentives in Medi-Cal (PRIME) Program (formerly known as DSRIP), 2) The Whole Person Care (WPC) pilot program, and 3) The Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS). Harbage Consulting was proud to provide policy and operational support to the state on each of these initiatives....
Happy New Year from Harbage Consulting
(January 4, 2017)By Hilary Haycock
President, Harbage Consulting
As we move into 2017, Harbage Consulting is proud of the great work accomplished with our clients over the past year. We know there is a lot of work ahead of us, and we look forward to helping our clients achieve their goals and working together to protect the Medicaid program and the health care safety net in a changing environment....