Health
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On Jan. 27, the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) approved $123.8 million in Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) statewide projects to promote mental health and prevent the negative consequences of mental illness.
This approval of $123.8 million for PEI statewide projects is in addition to the over $737.6 million already approved to date for county PEI programs.
These achievements are funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) (Proposition 63), the November 2004 voter initiative that placed a 1 percent tax on incomes above $1 million.
The MHSOAC approved funds for mental health programs that comprise the Implementation Work Plan of the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA).
CalMHSA is a Joint Powers Authority (JPA), acting on behalf of member counties, and is administering three Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) Statewide Programs (Suicide Prevention, Stigma and Discrimination Reduction, and the Student Mental Health Initiative). Under the Mental Health Services Act of 2004, all PEI programs must be approved by the MHSOAC.
MHSOAC Chair Larry Poaster, Ph.D. explained, “Our commission’s approval today of three statewide prevention and early intervention programs will provide California with an opportunity to prevent tragedies like the one that recently occurred in Tucson, Arizona.”
He added, “California will continue to be a leader in providing mental health programs that prevent mental illness from going untreated.”
Before the MHSA, California public mental health services were limited to treatment, usually medication, for people with serious mental illness.
Many of these individuals have ended up in emergency rooms, jails, and self-medicating on the streets. The MHSA prevention and early intervention programs promote “help first” rather than “fail first” mental health treatment.
Nearly half the United States population will suffer a mental health and/or substance-use disorder during their lifetime, 26 to 30 percent will experience a mental disorder in any given year, and about 6% will face a mental disorder so serious that it impairs their ability to perform everyday activities for an average of three months.
“In light of the recent tragedy in Arizona, we want to draw attention to the University and College Student Mental Health Programs that are a part of this prevention and early intervention program package,” said Poaster. “We believe that adding more resources to the UC, CSU, and Community Colleges mental health programs will help our students with their mental health challenges and assist them in staying in school and on the road to gainful employment.”
Some examples of the programs approved today include:
The University and College Student Mental Health Programs (UCSMHP) will implement training, peer-to-peer support, and suicide prevention within each of the three California higher education systems: University of California (UC), California State University (CSU) and California Community Colleges (CCC). A consortium of experts and stakeholders will guide the collaboration between the higher education systems and county mental health and ensure the coordination of activities with the other initiatives.
The Kindergarten to 12th Grade (K-12) Student Mental Health Program-Superintendent Regions will provide school-based programs, systems and policy developments, education and training and technical assistance in school districts. The long-term goal is that programs established in each of California’s eleven Superintendent Regions will develop policies and practices to ensure effective/non-duplicative referral of students between districts, foster care systems and county mental health departments.
The Strategies for a Supportive Environment Program will create public campaigns targeted at increasing public awareness that individuals at different points in their life experience various degrees of mental health from wellness to crisis and that persons living with mental health challenges have resilience and the capacity for recovery.
The Regional and Local Suicide Prevention Capacity-Building Program will expand the number and capacity of accredited local suicide prevention lines. This program will also require that each agency operating a warm or hotline join a consortium of publicly funded Suicide Prevention Call Centers.
The 16-member MHSOAC was formed by the passage of the MHSA. The MHSOAC is responsible for overarching oversight and accountability for implementation of the MHSA.
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SACRAMENTO – California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said Thursday that Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna, and PacifiCare have agreed to comply with his request to refrain from increasing premiums for 60 days beyond their anticipated effective dates for their recent rate filings with California Department of Insurance (CDI).
Earlier this month, Commissioner Jones made a similar request of Blue Shield after almost 200,000 California policyholders were notified of significant rate increases, with some reaching as high as 59 percent when combined with previous, recent rate increases.
Although Blue Shield has not agreed to comply with the 60 day delay, the company has announced they will hire an outside actuary to review its filing and to issue rebates to policyholders if warranted.
“I am pleased that Aetna, Anthem Blue Cross and PacifiCare have agreed to my request that they halt the implementation of their rate increases until the Department of Insurance has adequate time to review their recent rate filings,” Commissioner Jones said.
“I am very concerned about the impact premium increases will have on policyholders, so I want to ensure that the department has adequate time to review these rate filings for compliance with the law. Blue Shield policyholders will not have the benefit of this additional review period to ensure compliance with the law, but I will do what is within my power to determine whether Blue Shield’s proposed rates are in compliance with the law and to enforce that law,” continued Jones.
Under California law, the insurance commissioner does not have the authority to reject excessive premium increases; however, by asking these insurers for a delay in the implementation of their rate increases, the commissioner should have the time necessary to ensure that all proposed increases have been thoroughly reviewed and are in compliance with the law, including the recently enacted SB 1163.
SB 1163 requires health plans and insurers to provide detailed information regarding premium increases and to submit a certification from an outside actuary.
The Department of Insurance reviews those rate filings and the insurance commissioner is required to determine if the proposed rate is “unreasonable” and to post that information on his Web site.
Additionally, on Commissioner Dave Jones’ first day in office he issued an emergency regulation which gives him the authority to enforce the new federal 80 percent medical loss ratio in the individual market.
“Although I do not have the authority to prevent excessive rate increases, these rate filings will be reviewed to ensure compliance with the new law that requires that 80 cents of every premium dollar is spent on providing health care and to determine whether the proposed rate increase is unreasonable,” Commissioner Jones said.
Jones added, “These rate increases come at a time when many Californians are still struggling to get by in tough economic times, so it is especially important to work to prevent unreasonable rate increases from going into effect.”
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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Sutter Lakeside Hospital’s Mobile Health Services Unit will be hosting a free flu vaccination clinic on Friday, Jan. 28, from 9 a.m. to noon in Middletown.
The mobile unit will be parked at 21198 Calistoga St. in Middletown (on the corner of Calistoga and Armstrong streets at Highway 29.
This free flu vaccination clinic is open to the public for ages 7 years old and up.
Vaccinations will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.
No appointments are necessary. Walk-ins are welcome.
For more information call Sutter Lakeside Hospital at 707-262-5076.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Sutter Lakeside Hospital Wellness Center is offering a free arthritis exercise program beginning Tuesday, Feb. 1.
The Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program classes will take place from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Developed especially for people with arthritis, this class helps maintain fitness while reducing arthritis pain.
Classes are taught by Arthritis Foundation-certified instructors and consist of low-impact exercise, seated, standing and optional floor exercises, with light bands and weights used in some classes.
The Sutter Lakeside Hospital Wellness Center is located at 5176 Hill Road East, Lakeport.
For more information call 707-262-5171 or 707-262-5090.
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