[PC-BH-Integration] New to List

[Reardon, Elizabeth]

Hi Jody

First off, you and your FQHC colleagues are to be commended for taking on a commitment to kids and families - as you've indicated, it's a huge need and can be pretty complicated to provide.

I don't know where you're writing from, so I'm nor sure what the rules on billing, etc. are in your area, but in Vermont there's been at least one example that I know of where the clinician from the mental health center opened up the kids she saw at the primary care practice as clients of the MH clinic and so was able to bill for assessment, therapy and case management to the mental health funder, rather than going through the FQHC. It's a different arrangement than the one you have now - you'd basically be a one person satellite clinic in the practice - but if you worked through your MHC you might be able to provide the services that your patients and their families need without stressing the billing capacity of the FQHC.

Of course, there's always complications whichever route you try, but please feel free to contact me directly if you want to chat further   

Take care
Liz

email  liz at lizreardon.com 



-----Original Message-----
From: pc-bh-integration-bounces at lists101.his.com on behalf of Jody Rowell
Sent: Sat 2/14/2009 10:55 AM
To: pc-bh-integration at lists101.his.com
Cc: pc-bh-integration at nccbh.net
Subject: Re: [PC-BH-Integration] New to List
 
Hi, our primary care integration with a FQHC is failing.  As an LCSW I am
there for 4 hours a week.  I have been providing consultation to the medical
clinicians, seeing kids and their parents briefly, and hooking them up with
other MH external services as indicated.  Because I am the only child
therapist there it doesn't seem particularly helpful to do a full hour
assessment (90801) to provide a few sessions, especially since there is an
enormous amount of backlog.  In addition, I would need a translator with me
for a large majority of the assessments and treatment.  Currently there are
over a 100 kids on the shared list.  Our MH clinic is billing the FQHC for
my time.  The FQHC is struggling financially and is feeling that they cannot
continue to pay for my presence even though they find it valuable.  I am not
billing enough to cover my time there.  Upcoding through FQHC codes is
nearly impossible because most of the peds are reluctant to do the 10 min
warm transfer because of their own insane schedules.

If I sound a little desparate it is because I am worried that all the work
we have done combined with the incredible need means we will loose this
project.

Any ideas would be very much appreciate.  Jody

On Fri, Feb 13, 2009 at 3:24 PM, Jaffy Phillips <jaffy at pobox.com> wrote:

> Hi,
>
> I've just recently signed up to join this list-serve. My impression is that
> I am to send an email to this address by way of introduction? If so, here
> goes:
>
> I've been practicing as a psychotherapist for several years, and am
> currently back in school for a Master's in Public Health, focussing on
> health policy. I have a strong interest in collaborative care, and I am
> currently working on a research paper for the Massachusetts Health Data
> Consortium, exploring the barriers to and possibilities for implementation
> of shared electronic medical records between behavioral and non-behavioral
> providers in Massachusetts.
>
> Thanks for letting me join in the conversation.
>
> Jaffy
>
>
> Jaffy Phillips, MA
> Psychotherapist in private practice
> Health Policy Intern: Massachusetts Health Data Consortium
> MPH student: Boston University School of Public Health
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Reply to this message to send to the group
> Help can be found at
> http://lists101.his.com/mailman/listinfo/pc-bh-integration
> or call Bob Beckwith at (301) 984-6200
>



-- 
Jody L. Rowell, MSSW, LCSW, Advocate
Clifford W. Beers Guidance Clinic
93 Edwards Street
New Haven, CT 06511
(203)772-1270 x-238 (203)772-0051 (F)
jrowell at cliffordbeers.org

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