TOMORROW (2/27/18) the Joint Behavioral Health Subcommittee of the legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services will be hearing the presentation of the Strategic Plan for Improvement of Behavioral Health in NC. We appreciate that the committee chairs are allowing time to hear public comment from stakeholders.
The Plan is concerning in that it articulates some objectives for some systemic program change and objectives surrounding integrating care, but it misses two important issues without which we have the status quo perpetuating:
1) System approaches are too narrowly informed, exclude consumer and family voices and those of other community members: There is no discussion or mention of the inclusion of input by consumers, families, other caring and KNOWLEDGABLE stakeholders. No reference to Consumer and Family Advisory Committees. Without valuing input by people who KNOW the system and its products in the lived of beneficiaries, we are stuck with a “Ready–Fire–Aim” approach which has already plagued us for too long.
2) There is NO strategy for considering OR IMPROVING QUALITY: There is mention of our the state’s historically unsatisfactory capacity for effectively mining and reporting the most relevant data (again, no strategy discussed after having said that). But there is no discussion on quality as measured in terms of the actual outcomes in system users’ lives. Not comment on standards, measures, customer satisfaction, etc.
Do we want this legislature to approve a plan aimed at lots of productivity of questionable quality and lots of dollars changing hand while individuals are ill-served? THIS IS THE TIME FOR ADVOCACY THAT DISRUPTS THE STATUS QUO! PLEASE JOIN US IN RALEIGH OR WRITE TO THE LEGISLATORS SERVING ON THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
Thank you, caring Advocate!
NC CANSO 