Financing Integrated Health and Social Services for Populations with Mental Illness

This webinar features a research project that addresses the barriers to adoption of payment innovations that can be accomplished by combining economics and health information technology to significantly improve population mental health.

Adolescents and young adults often experience their first episode of psychosis as they are preparing to enter high school, college, or the workforce. The long-term implications of neglecting a future generation’s mental health can range from an overburdened welfare system to overcrowding in correctional facilities.

Implementing an intervention for first episode psychosis via Coordinated Specialty Care (CSC), the OnTrackNY program aims to help patients maximize recovery, improve social function, and manage their psychiatric symptoms. While coordinated care services are currently covered by public and private funding, little guidance is provided to payers on how to structure payments to CSC providers.

This one-year developmental study will develop a flexible, multi-part payment system comprised of a bundled case-rate, a per-service, and a pay-for-outcome component. The resulting payment designs would then inform a decision support tool for payers of CSC and other multi-disciplinary, team-based interventions across the medical, social, and public health sectors.