ValueOptions® and the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership Receive Innovation Grant to Improve Substance Abuse Treatment Outcomes and Reduce Costs

NORFOLK, Va. and BOSTON, Aug. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently selected ValueOptions^® and its subsidiary, Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership (MBHP), for a CMS Health Care Innovation Award. The award includes a $2.67 million grant to fund a new program which will use recovery peer navigators and incentives that will help to improve substance abuse treatment outcomes and reduce costs for the Commonwealth. MBHP will partner with Brandeis University and four substance abuse treatment providers in Massachusetts to accomplish these goals.

Once fully implemented, the program estimates three-year savings of $7.84 million. To staff the program, MBHP will hire and train approximately 75 new employees including trainers, recovery peer navigators and support personnel.

"This is an exciting opportunity – one that promises a positive impact on the lives of those who suffer from substance abuse," states Nancy Lane, CEO of MBHP. "Substance abuse is a severe health risk, and often very difficult to overcome. Without robust support services, many struggle to stay on a path to recovery and experience repeated admissions for detoxification. The result then becomes worsening health outcomes and higher costs.  We believe that increasing community support will help sustain recovery and lead to better outcomes."

The new program will employ health care coordination to reduce repeated utilization of detox services among Medicaid beneficiaries who have two or more detox admissions. MBHP will partner with substance abuse treatment providers who will help administer the program in four distinct regions of the Commonwealth – northeastern Massachusetts, southeastern Massachusetts, the greater-Boston area and the central portion of the state. The provider partners are Northeast Health Systems (formerly CAB), Stanley Street Treatment and Resources (SSTAR), High Point Treatment Center and Spectrum Health Systems.

Once MBHP identifies individuals who are high utilizers of detox treatment, recovery peer navigators will work with the providers to engage the members and help them define a stronger path to recovery. By linking these individuals with appropriate treatment and recovery services, the program will improve their health outcomes, and reduce costs by avoiding preventable emergency room visits and hospitalizations.

As part of the program, MBHP will collaborate closely with Brandeis University's Institute for Behavioral Health (IBH) at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, which specializes in behavioral health evaluation, research and policy analysis and has strong experience in the area of substance use disorders.

Brandeis will be responsible for project evaluation and ongoing quality monitoring, in conjunction with CMS. They will also help MBHP determine how performance measures and incentives can be used to encourage or support the provision of quality substance abuse treatment services. MBHP will also partner with a diverse group of consumers, agency directors, researchers and others through the program's Quality Advisory Committee.

"A CMS Innovation Grant is a prestigious award, so this is a proud day for ValueOptions," adds John Tadich, Public Sector Division President at ValueOptions. "This program is about delivering important services to individuals who need them. It's about using limited funds wisely to keep individuals healthy and on the path to recovery. We are looking forward to implementing the program this year, and working with Brandeis University and our provider partners in making this a great success for the people of Massachusetts."

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