It turns out that they really keep you busy as an RWJ Health Policy Fellow, meeting lots of people, traveling around the city, reading lots of books and- well, really, just too busy to blog much. Especially since, in general, we are not spending a lot of time discussing children's mental health care in the current environment. I've been learning about ERISA and "paygo" rules and all of the minutia that is going into the current health reform debate. I have seen a member of the President's Cabinet and the First Lady in person. But I haven't really had time to keep up on the progress of Children's Mental Health reform in Massachusetts. Sorry.
So, from my e-mail, three tidbits:
1) Agency capacity in Massachusetts seems stretched. Intake evaluations for children seem to be delayed 4-6 weeks, which is worse than in previous years, and suggests to me that the screenings are yielding and that we are flooding the system.
2) Systems of care committees are meeting. Go to them.
3) The Tri-Committee (House) and the Senate Finance Committee's Chairman's mark both require mental health benefits of the insurance companies.
Stay tuned. I really don't know when I will have time for this again.
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