Quick recap

This meeting was a follow-up discussion for ASAP's treatment provider members to discuss recent developments and challenges in substance use disorder services. The main topics covered included updates on the HHSC summit, Be Well contract changes, and potential modifications to EHR systems. Noelle and Anna provided updates on upcoming meetings scheduled for January 20-21 and discussed a Be Well town hall meeting addressing contract changes. Brad Fisk from Helen Farabee Centers proposed allowing providers to use independent EHR systems instead of CMBHS, which sparked discussion about the challenges of double-entering data and limited reporting capabilities in the current system. The group also discussed potential restructuring of women and children's services funding, with Vaughn Gilmore from Santa Mar expressing support for specialized funding while suggesting keeping TRF and women and children's services integrated rather than completely separate. The conversation included discussion about regional allocation of funds and de-obligation processes, with clarification that unused funds would likely remain within their original regions.

Next steps

Anna

• Send out a save the date for the follow-up HHSC meeting scheduled for January 20th and 21st.

• Upload the Be Well town hall email and flyer into the treatment networking group.

Noelle

• Reach out to Dr. Potter to clarify if the Be Well town hall is intended for all providers or specifically for billing/financial staff.

• Continue working with HHSC on the proposal to allow providers the option to use their own EHR instead of CMBHS for documentation and billing.

• Continue conversations with HHSC regarding the structure and funding of women and children programs, including the possibility of separating them into a statewide funding category.

• Bring the feedback regarding regional allocation of funds and the need for specialized women and children funding to the board meeting with HHSC on Monday.

Summary

Zoom Technical Issues Discussion

Anna and Noelle discussed technical issues Anna was experiencing with Zoom calls, including problems with starting meetings despite being in the same account. The conversation then shifted to weather, with both participants noting temperature drops in their respective locations. The conversation ended with Anna preparing to facilitate introductions, noting that Doug was out and that Noelle would be joining in his place.

Multi-Organization Meeting Introduction Session

The meeting began with introductions from various participants representing different organizations, including Noelle Delgado from ASAP, Brad Fisk from Helen Farabee Centers, and others. Noelle explained the purpose of the meeting, which was to discuss any issues, challenges, successes, or innovations since their last meeting. She also mentioned plans to follow up on changes discussed at a previous HHSC meeting, with Anna potentially providing updates on those changes.

Upcoming Meetings and Initiatives Planning

Anna and Noelle discussed plans for upcoming meetings, with save-the-dates being prepared for January 20th and 21st events that will include QI and potentially compliance representatives. They mentioned recent contract changes with Be Well, which will be addressed in a town hall meeting next Thursday, and reported progress on legislative priorities with HHSC. The team is also exploring collaboration opportunities with the Texas Council on mental health initiatives.

Be Well Town Hall Discussion

The team discussed the Be Well Town Hall meeting, with initial confusion about whether it was for billing staff only or also for program staff. Brad clarified that the town hall is intended for providers, not just billing staff. Noelle agreed to follow up with Dr. Potter for more clarity, while Brad mentioned he would attend as the director overseeing the contract. The conversation then shifted to discussing initiatives with the Texas Council and exploring EHR accessibility differences between mental health and substance use disorder programs.

Dual System Documentation Challenges

FiskB explained that Helen Ferebee Centers, as the local mental health authority, currently uses SmartCare for documentation but must also input data into CMBHS due to state contract requirements. The team discussed the challenges of having to maintain dual entries in both systems and the limitations in accessing and reporting their own data through CMBHS. Vaughan and Craig agreed that removing the CMBHS requirement would be beneficial, but noted that contract changes would be necessary to make this possible.

CMBHS System Alternative Solutions

The group discussed potential solutions for CMBHS system issues, with Vaughan suggesting that modifying contracts to allow use of an independent EHR might be more cost-effective and faster than updating CMBHS. FiskB explained that mental health contracts could potentially be connected to an EHR system similar to how Medicaid and private insurance billing works. Noelle proposed moving forward with exploring this EHR option as an alternative to ongoing CMBHS updates, and also mentioned ongoing discussions about potentially separating women and children services into a separate TRA/TRF/TRY funding category due to different requirements and limited providers.

Statewide Funding Allocation Discussion

Vaughan expressed support for statewide women and children funding but raised concerns about completely separating it from TRF due to the integrated nature of their programs serving both populations. Noelle clarified that dependent children rates are now being billed as add-ons to TRF rather than as separate women and children funding, with these add-ons coming from block grant funding. The group discussed regional allocation of funds, with FiskB emphasizing the need to balance funding between urban and rural areas while Vaughan questioned whether de-obligated funds would remain within regions or be redistributed statewide.