Mental Health Coalition Meeting

Hi All,

Thanks for the feedback from coalition members who wanted additions to the agenda. Pasted below and attached is our agenda for Monday 9/17.  At this time, we don’t have capacity to add additional items and still have a chance of finishing on time – and have robust and meaningful discussion.  So this will need to be the final agenda.  Jennifer and I are also going to work hard to start and end our coalition meetings on time to respect everyone’s time. If people can plan to arrive at MHLAC on School St a touch before 10am or at 10 (and join on the phone then too), we’ll be able to get started.  I don’t have the call in number yet but Susan, perhaps you can share that with the list once you have it.

Thanks and have a great weekend!

Rebekah

Mental Health Coalition Meeting

Monday, September 17, 2018 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee Office

24 School Street, 8^th Floor

Call-In Number:

Agenda

10-10:05

Welcome and Introductions

10:05-10:10

Verify email list for participants

Some people are on the lists that are no longer with their respective organizations so it’s a good time to review our participant list. Jen will bring a hard copy so people can cross out any old entries.  If you have someone you want to add, you can add it to the list or email it to us.

10:10-10:45

Review of 2017-2018 Legislative Session

• Please come prepared with the major mental health related bills you were following and what happened with them.  We should be able to give people about 5-7 min each to share.
• Based on what succeeded and what didn’t, begin to discuss plans for our coalition agenda for the 2019-2020 session.

10:45-10:55

Question 1 on November Ballot, David Matteodo

10:55-11:05

DOI follow up, Wells Wilkinson

• mental health access and parity enforcement letter
• discuss possible comments on proposed DOI wrap around intermediate services

11:05-11:15

Upcoming Health Policy Council Cost Trend Hearings, Oct 16 and 17th, Susan Fendell

• protection of access to mental health services
• the need for insurers to address social determinants of health
• insurance coverage alternative/supplemental treatments to promote recovery
• leaving medical necessity decisions to the provider (or at least putting burden of proof that services are not necessary on the insurer) because unnecessary utilization adds cost to the health care system.

11:15-11:25

New House Ways and Means House Chair

Jeffrey Sanchez lost his election so this key position will need to be filled.  It would be great to have someone who values mental health and the needs of vulnerable residents take his place. If we do want to advocate for successor, discuss the best mechanism(s) to do so.

11:25-11:30

Schedule next meeting, maybe October 15 or 17?