|
|
|
PUBLIC INFORMATION
AND EDUCATION
STATE AWARDS NEW TENNCARE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONTRACTSRegional Contracts, Better OversightNASHVILLE –Tennessee has awarded three new contracts for providing behavioral health services for members of TennCare Partners, the behavioral health services portion of TennCare. “The new contracts will give the state better oversight of behavioral health services, ensuring access to benefits for TennCare members,” said Commissioner Virginia Trotter Betts of the Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities, which as Tennessee’s mental health authority, oversees behavioral health services for the TennCare population. “Governor Bredesen and I are committed to ensuring access to quality behavioral health care for all TennCare members.” The new contracts will require the behavioral health organizations to provide services to TennCare members in one of three grand divisions of the state – East, Middle or West. “This model will allow vendors to reach out to their communities and devise innovative strategies of doing service that will more sensitively address regional differences,” said Commissioner Betts. New contractors for each grand division are Tennessee Behavioral Health, a subsidiary of Magellan Health Services, in the East and ValueOptions, Inc. in the Middle and West Tennessee. A “safety net” BHO will be selected before the end of the year to ensure minimal disruption of services to TennCare enrollees should a contracted BHO fail. The contracts will begin on April 1, 2004. During the contract period, the state will formulate long-term plans for TennCare Partners that are consistent with both the Governor’s overall TennCare strategy and DMHDD’s proactive mental health plans for all Tennesseans. The contracts maintain the current TennCare Partners benefit package and are full-risk managed care agreements. For more information visit the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities at : www.state.tn.us/mental. |
