Oaklawn Designated Community Mental Health Center for St. Joseph County

SOUTH BEND, Ind., Sept. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- Effective 5 p.m., September 24, 2010, Oaklawn Psychiatric Center, Inc. (Oaklawn) will be the designated Community Mental Health Center (CMHC) for St. Joseph County, assuming all the state-required duties and responsibilities previously provided by Madison Center (Madison).  By mutual agreement, the managed care provider contract between Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, Division of Mental Health and Addiction (the State) and Madison will be terminated, simultaneous with Oaklawn's new agreement with the State.  

Oaklawn will lease space at Madison to continue the community-based behavioral health services, and the transition is structured to be essentially seamless for patients, employees and the medical staffs of both organizations.  

Inpatient services at Madison will not be affected by the change.

"We approached the State and had frank conversations about our financial challenges at Madison," said Ken Davis, interim chief executive officer at Madison.  "Oaklawn is the logical, most appropriate and best choice for the State to designate as the new CMHC as they are uniquely equipped to take over these important services for our community.  

"Our goals are to maintain the mission of providing a continuum of mental health services, through both inpatient and community-based care, and to preserve hundreds of jobs for local citizens.  Oaklawn can take over essentially all of Madison's outpatient services, including both reimbursed and unreimbursed care, with barely a blip on the screen.

"This transition helps position Madison in its search for a strong strategic partner to work with us on our inpatient business," said Davis.

"We are looking forward to serving former Madison patients and working with the organization's outstanding employees and medical staff," said Laurie Neumann Nafziger, president and CEO of Oaklawn.   "We are prepared to make this transition as smooth and seamless as possible for everyone involved, and we will be meeting with the Oaklawn and Madison staffs throughout the next few weeks to fine-tune offers of employment or contracts.  

"Patients will continue to see their same healthcare providers in the same location where they have received care and treatment prior to September 24, and any appointments currently scheduled will be maintained.  Oaklawn accepts the same payors and insurance as does Madison, so the only difference patients will notice is that their medical bills will now come from Oaklawn instead of Madison."

The partnership established between Notre Dame and Madison will continue with Madison's inpatient base and be expanded to include Oaklawn's more than 10,000 inpatient and outpatients a year.  "This presents an enhanced opportunity for the researchers in the Department of Psychiatry to amplify their study in the ways to improve behavioral health," said Neumann Nafziger.

Oaklawn Psychiatric Center – Founded in 1962, Oaklawn is a not-for-profit mental health and addictions treatment facility that has served as the community mental health center for Elkhart County since 1973. Sponsored by Mennonite Health Services Alliance, Oaklawn is the only faith-based mental health center in Indiana. Oaklawn offers a comprehensive range of treatment programs in accordance to its mission: "With uncommon expertise in mental health and addictions services, Oaklawn joins with individuals, families, and our community on the journey toward health and wholeness." For more information, visit www.oaklawn.org.

Madison Center  - Founded in 1949, Madison Center is a non-profit organization that provides comprehensive mental health and substance abuse services for St. Joseph, Elkhart, LaPorte, Marshall and Porter Counties. Staffed by board-certified psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, therapists, nurses and other qualified mental health professionals, Madison Center is devoted to helping people overcome various psychiatric and substance abuse disorders through high quality education, prevention and treatment services. For more information, visit www.madison.org.

SOURCE Madison Center