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DHHS secretary proposes further LME consolidation
DHHS Sec. Dempsey Benton unveiled his 2008-09 proposals to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee for Mental Health, Development Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services on April 17. The proposals included plans for better-staffed and managed state psychiatric hospitals, enhanced statewide crisis services, streamlined oversight of provider qualifications, and additional consolidation of local mental health administration. The NCACC will follow Benton's proposals closely throughout the legislative process, particularly discussions on consolidation of local management entities (LMEs). Following the department's outside review of all 25 LMEs (known as the Mercer Report), Sec. Benton recommends the voluntary consolidation of mental health administrative functions in up to three regional entities in each of the three state hospital catchment areas, for a total of nine regional entities. While LMEs could continue to exist in a partnership arrangement with one of the regional entities, many of their functions such as screening, triage and referral, utilization management and provider management would transfer to the regional entity. Non-participating LMEs could see a 10 percent reduction in funding, in addition to other disincentives. Regional entities would be able to keep some administrative savings, manage expanded crisis services, and eventually perform utilization management for Medicaid services. Entities would be selected through a request for proposals process. The DHHS secretary would have approval over the selection of the area director, including that of the county program, and the governor would have appointing authority for one-third of the area board's members. Members of the Joint LOC for MH-DD-SAS, while lauding many aspects of improved state hospital oversight and enhanced crisis services, were coolly receptive to additional consolidation. |