A Galesburg human services organization is one of 19 Illinois Certified Behavioral Health Clinics that will offer coordinated mental health care and substance use treatment services under a new federal model.
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services recently announced Bridgeway Inc. of Galesburg will be participating in the federal Medicaid Demonstration Program. The model significantly increases access to behavioral health care, including crisis care, for individuals who may otherwise experience challenges accessing the services they need.
“Thanks to the close collaboration with the participating providers and our sister agency, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), enhanced behavioral health services are now available to individuals at 19 locations across Illinois,” HFS Director Elizabeth Whitehorn said in a news release.
“Access to high-quality behavioral health services is critical, and this program will help us to serve individuals who are in crisis and have previously struggled to access the services they need to be well.”
‘A lot more comprehensive service provisions in one place’
Stacy Brown, vice president of Behavioral Health Services at Bridgeway, tells WGIL, “We are incredibly excited to be part of the demonstration grant.
“Basically, there will be a large amount of various services coming together under one roof. Bridgeway already has lot of these services, so it’s just a natural progression for us to move in that direction.
“But there will be a lot more comprehensive service provisions in one place, instead of having to go to more places.”
Brown said the new plan includes medical care, noting Bridgeway plans to increase collaborations with OSF HealthCare and Graham Medical Group in Galesburg.
“We need to address not only the mental health and substances use issues people are experiencing, but how is that medical side affecting them,” Brown said. “We want to work together to meet all the needs of the individual.”
Earlier this year, Illinois was selected as one of 10 states to participate in the federal CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration Program which is designed to expand and improve access to coordinated services. The CCBHC Demonstration Program provides reimbursement through Medicaid for the full cost of services that CCBHCs provide and at higher rates than community mental health centers previously received for Medicaid customers. The participating clinics’ services must meet federal standards, and they must serve anyone who requests care for their mental health or substance use condition, regardless of age, ability to pay, or location.
CCBHCs provide access to a range of services, care coordination, and incorporate evidence-based practices and other supports based on a community needs assessment. This includes crisis services that are available 24/7. CCBHCs are also required to provide routine outpatient care within 10 business days.
Bridgeway one of 19 Illinois facilities participating in the program
Brown said the grant rollout started Oct. 1 for Bridgeway.
“Hopefully people will notice more appropriate and ongoing consistent communication between behavioral health and medical,” Brown said. “They can be intertwined. Someone could be having a medical issue which affects our mental health. So we want to ensure we’re serving the whole person.”
She added, “There will be changes, but they will all be positive program changes that will help our community more than we’ve had in the past.”
The 19 CCBHCs now providing services are:
- Trilogy Inc., Chicago
- Lutheran Social Services of IL, Chicago
- Human Resources Development Institute, Chicago
- Thresholds, Chicago
- Thresholds, Woodstock
- Rosecrance Incorporated, Champaign
- Rosecrance Incorporated, Rockford
- Heritage Behavioral Health Center, Decatur
- Preferred Family Healthcare, Inc., Quincy
- Transitions of Western IL, Inc., Quincy
- Centerstone of Illinois, Inc., Alton
- Chestnut Health Systems, Inc., Granite City
- Chestnut Health Systems, Inc., Belleville
- Ecker Center for Behavioral Health, Elgin
- Link & Option Center, Inc., South Holland
- Bridgeway, Inc., Galesburg
- Robert Young Center, Moline
- Robert Young Center, Rock Island
- Sinnissippi Centers, Inc., Dixon
In addition to Illinois, Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Vermont were chosen to take part in the four-year federal CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration this year. Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, and Oregon are already part of the program.
