NCQA Awards Full Accreditation to the ValueOptions® Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership Service Center

BOSTON and NORFOLK, Va., July 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- ValueOptions® and its subsidiary Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership (MBHP) today announced that the Boston-based MBHP Service Center received Full Accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). The three-year accreditation runs through June 25, 2015.

NCQA is an independent, not-for-profit organization that accredits and certifies a wide range of managed behavioral healthcare organizations (MBHOs). NCQA MBHO Accreditation is a nationally recognized evaluation that purchasers, regulators and consumers can use to assess managed behavioral health care organizations. NCQA MBHO Accreditation evaluates how well a health plan manages all parts of its delivery system – physicians, hospitals, other providers and administrative services – in order to continuously improve health care for its members.

NCQA MBHO Accreditation is a voluntary review process. NCQA reviews include rigorous onsite and offsite evaluations conducted by a team of physicians and managed care experts. A national oversight committee of physicians and behavioral health providers analyzes the team's findings and assigns an accreditation level based on the MBHO's performance compared to NCQA standards.

Full Accreditation is granted for a period of three years to those plans that have excellent programs for continuous quality improvement and meet NCQA's rigorous standards. NCQA MBHO Accreditation standards are developed with input from employers, health plans, state and federal regulators, MBHOs and other experts and are demanding. Standards are set high to encourage MBHOs to continuously enhance their quality.

NCQA MBHO Accreditation standards are intended to help organizations achieve the highest level of performance possible, reduce patient risk for untoward outcomes and create an environment of continuous improvement.

There are approximately 60 standards for quality included in the following categories:

• Quality Management and Improvement
• Utilization Management
• Credentialing and Recredentialing
• Members' Rights and Responsibilities
• Preventive Behavioral Health Care Services

"NCQA MBHO Accreditation is an important recognition of our program here in Massachusetts," said Nancy Lane, MBHP CEO. "This Accreditation confirms the priority we place on continuously improving quality in all areas of our organization and, most importantly, reflects our dedication to provide our membership with access to high quality healthcare."

About Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership

MBHP has worked with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts since 1996, to provide managed behavioral health services, and since 1998, to provide network and quality management for primary care clinicians in the PCC plan. Since its inception, MBHP has improved the delivery and quality of healthcare in Massachusetts through member-directed initiatives and innovative programs for special needs populations. Including families, peers and consumers themselves in the process of treatment planning and delivery is a cornerstone principle of the MBHP program.

About ValueOptions®

ValueOptions is a health improvement company that serves more than 32 million individuals. On behalf of employers, health plans and government agencies, we manage innovative programs and solutions that directly address the challenges our health care system faces today. A national leader in the fields of mental and emotional wellbeing, recovery and resilience, employee assistance, and wellness, ValueOptions helps people make the difficult life changes needed to be healthier and more productive. With offices nationwide and a network of more than 130,000 provider locations, ValueOptions helps people take important steps in the right direction. We help them live their lives to the fullest potential. Visit www.valueoptions.com for more information.

SOURCE ValueOptions