Children's mental health services are provided by numerous entities including educational institutions, child welfare agencies, and the juvenile justice system as well as by mental health programs. In the public sector, Medicaid is an important but not an exclusive source of financial support for mental health services used by children and youth. As fee for service Medicaid is replaced by managed care, a key issue is the impact on use of other service sectors by children with serious emotional disorders who are clients of the public mental health system. Oregon's conversion of its Medicaid mental health system from fee for service to capitation took place on a county by county basis starting in 1995. This project compares service use by 131 Oregon Medicaid children with serious emotional disturbance who resided in fee for service counties with that for 134 children in managed care counties. Children and their caregivers were interviewed on two occasions six months apart. Service utilization data were obtained from numerous agencies (such as the juvenile justice system) in addition to mental health. Use of services and outcome measures for the two groups will be described and contrasted.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation participants will be able to describe the impacts on publicly funded children's mental health services of converting Medicaid from fee for service to capitation
Keywords: Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Medicaid Managed Care
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.