Practice Management Insight

March 2011

A report on events affecting Oklahoma providers

March 1 - 31
National Nutrition Month®
American Dietetic Association

March 4

4th Annual Statewide Conference on Problem Gambling

Chickasaw Training Center Newcastle, OK

March 7 - 13
National Problem Gambling Awareness Week
National Council on Problem Gambling

March 8

Maintaining (& Increasing) Your Organization’s Profitability: A Structured Approach to Diagnosing Your Organization’s Revenue & Margin Challenges

Ewing, NJ

March 17

Saint Patrick’s Day

March 17-18, 2011

ASIST Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training

ODMHSAS Training Center, OKC, Oklahoma

Event Information

March 24, 2011

24th Annual Children’s  Mental Health Research and Policy Conference, Tampa FL

Event Information

March 25, 2011

Methadone Myths and Facts-Barteslville, OK

TriCounty Technology Center

Event Information

March 29, 2011

Measuring & Managing Performance: Preparing Your Organization for the Pay-or-Performance Environment

New Jersey

March 29—30, 2011

Medicare/Medicare Part D Training-Tulsa

Tulsa Tech Riverside Campus

Event Information

March 30, 2011

Cognitive Behavior Techniques for Non-Therapists

Sarkey's Foundation Conference Center

March 31 - April 1

Problem Gambling Core Level Training Part I Mar. 31-Apr 1, 2011

ODMHSAS Training Center

March 31 - April 1

ODAPCA 36th Bi-Annual Conference - Conference Registration

Norman, OK

Event Information

April 7th and 8th

4th Annual Collaborative Training for Behavioral Health Providers

Norman, OK

Event Information

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin today called for increased access to substance abuse treatment and other health care services as a priority issue to be addressed during this year’s legislative session. Her remarks were included as part of the Governor’s inaugural State of the State address before a joint session of the state’s legislative bodies.

The address kicks-off Oklahoma’s FY 2012 legislative session. While the Governor acknowledged that the state faces a difficult budget challenge, calling for state agencies to be creative in the search for cost efficiencies and better ways to serve Oklahomans, she emphasized the need to fund core services that impact the future growth of our state and address taxpayer needs. She specifically spoke to the need of supporting programs that address substance abuse, reduce incarceration and allow families to stay together.

“We can be tough on crime and also smart on crime,” said Governor Fallin.

In addition to her remarks as part of the State of State address, the Governor’s office released its 2012 Executive Budget. Of the five key funding issues outlined in the document, three are specific to the

state’s behavioral health care system. These include funding to treat substance abuse and reduce female incarceration rates, expand the mental health emergency responders program and meet the matching requirements of Oklahoma’s Systems of Care program.

Terri White, commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS), commended the Governor for her strong stance in support of Oklahomans negatively affected by substance abuse and other behavioral health issues. “The Governor absolutely realizes the far-reaching effects of untreated mental and addictive disorders,” said White. “I am encouraged by her support for these programs, particularly in regard to components of the department’s Smart on Crime initiative, and look forward to continued dialogue with her and other elected leaders throughout the legislative session.”

Governor Fallin Calls for Increased Access to Substance Abuse Treatment, Other Health

Care Services, as a Priority for the State

MARCH is

National Nutrition Month®

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ThinkHealth Has you Covered

Who in your office ...

· Understands recent changes in federal law

· Do you have correct coding methodologies to control improper coding?

· Are you well informed and have most recent State updates? Or do you have to search for the information you need?

· Are you able to submit State required forms electronically?

Centers who already have ThinkHealth are resting easy, knowing they always receive timely information. They are updated with correct coding and will avoid inappropriate claims payment. ThinkHealth members are prepared for the April 1, 2011, requirement that all states follow the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in implementing the mandatory use of the National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) and Medically Unlikely Edits (MUE). And they are prepared to respond to changes; such as the authorization process that will be totally electronic as of April 1, 2011. If you need answers, if you need updates, if you need help with efficacy in practice management—ThinkHealth will help. Don’t delay, come see the Free demonstration this April!

Mark you Calendar!

April 21st

ThinkHealth Demonstration

Email: [email-masked]

Or call: 4505.286.1674

Got claims? We’ve got the code.

“During every incarceration, every institutionalization, every court-ordered drug treatment program, it was always the same: I was always treated like a hopeless case. All people could see was the way I looked or the way I smelled. It wasn’t until I finally entered a recovery-oriented, trauma-informed treatment program a little more than four years ago, where I felt safe and respected, that I could begin to heal…Someone finally asked me ‘What happened to you?’ instead of ‘What’s wrong with you?’”
Tonier Cain

Tonier Cain is a success story. Today, she is a team leader with SAMHSA’s National Center for Trauma Informed Care and was a featured “In My Own Words” speaker at the 2010 National Council Conference. But for every Tonier Cain, there are hundreds of thousands of women and men who pass through our programs every day with painful histories of personal trauma — including sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and witnessing interpersonal violence — that we all too often ignore. The good news is that people with behavioral health conditions and trauma histories can and do recover. Your work is testament to that fact. But we can and must do more.  Read more

From the Nation Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare

Adults Represent

a Majority of Inhalant Treatment Admissions

Over 1 million adults abuse inhalants each year

“Inhalant abuse is now a multi-generational problem. "Huffing," or intentionally inhaling a chemical vapor to get "high," has been thought to be a serious, life-threatening risk primarily among children and adolescents, but a new government study shows that 54 percent of treatment admissions related to inhalants abuse in 2008 involved adults ages 18 or older…”   Read more

U.S. Program Pays Addicted Britons to Use Birth Control

A U.S. charity that had planned to pay British women abusing drugs to be sterilized is now paying them to have birth control devices implanted, BBC News reported Mar. 8.

In early 2010, Project Prevention, a charity based in North Carolina, said it would expand to the United Kingdom (U.K.). It launched its program there in October, saying it would pay women addicted to drugs 200 pounds if they would agree to be sterilized. Read more

2011 Letters: Trauma-informed Care: A Call to Arms

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