Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

The passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has ensured that the role of behavioral health in the overall health care system will change. Now, it is more important than ever to know how health care reform will affect you and your role and the role of states, behavioral health care providers, and consumers. Due to the breadth of the new law, ACA sets forth concepts that are new to many individuals and families that currently or will receive mental health and addiction services. Recognizing the importance of understanding these new concepts, SAMHSA is hosting a fall webinar series.

Past Webinars:

National Behavioral Health Quality Framework

View Webcast Replay
Date: June 15, 2011
Description: The creation of a National Behavioral Health Quality Framework represents an important step in achieving the overarching purpose of SAMHSA's Strategic Initiative for Data, Outcomes, and Quality—namely, "realizing an integrated data strategy and a national framework for quality improvement in behavioral health care that will inform policy, measure program impact, and lead to improved quality of services and outcomes for individuals, families, and communities." By outlining national behavioral health quality priorities, goals, and recommended measures for assessing progress toward identified priorities and goals, SAMHSA will provide both leadership and coordination of myriad efforts to improve the quality of services aimed at improving the lives of those with, or at risk for, mental and substance use disorders.

Parity 201

Date: March 10, 2011, 1 – 2 PM
Description: The webinar, designed for States and providers, includes a detailed discussion about the implementation of the Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equality Act. This discussion will provide details on state-level implementation efforts, interplay between the Federal parity law and the State parity laws, and anticipated additional pieces of regulatory guidance.

Parity 101

Date: Feb 17, 2011
Description: The webinar provided a general overview of the Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equality Act and the recently released Interim Final Rule. The webinar, directed to consumers, was presented by the health policy experts from the Legal Action Center.

SAMHSA Health Reform State Road Map

Date: Nov 4, 2010
Presentation: State Roadmap Webinar (PPT format | 2.0 megabytes)
Description: John O'Brien, SAMHSA Senior Advisor for Health Care Financing, will discuss important milestones in the Affordable Care Act and strategies states can take to ensure they are ready for health reform implementation. Please join us to make sure you and your state have up-to-date information on health reform implementation.

Health Reform 101: Electronic Health Record Basics

Date: Oct 27, 2010
Presentation: Health Reform 101 - Electronic Health Record Basics (PDF format | 1.5 megabytes)
Presentation: Health Reform 101 - Electronic Health Record Basics (PPT format | 2.5 megabytes)
Description: Ken Salyards, Special HIT Expert, discussed the basics around electronic health records. Mr. Salyards covered what is considered an electronic health record, how privacy is impacted through the adoption of electronic health records and what other information both providers and consumers need to know. In addition to discussing the basics of electronic health records, Mr. Salyards discussed the implications of the Affordable Care Act on electronic health records.

Primary Care/Behavioral Health Care Integration

Date: October 21, 2010
Presentation: Health Reform 101 - Learn the Basics of Health Care Reform (PDF format | 2 megabytes)
Presentation: Health Reform 101 - Learn the Basics of Health Care Reform (PPT format | 1 megabytes)
Description:Trina Dutta, a SAMHSA Public Health Analyst, discussed SAMHSA's new Primary and Behavioral Health Care Integration (PBHCI) program, including the role of PBHCI in the Affordable Care Act and recent grants released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Health Homes for Children

Date: October 14, 2010
Description: Dr. Maria Mann, from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, and Dr. Danielle Laraque, a pediatrician at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, discussed the health home model, review the core elements of the model, and highlight implementation processes at the practice and system levels. In addition, the discussion covered how improving the quality of mental and behavioral health services for children and youth may be facilitated by adoption of the family-/patient-centered medical home.

Laws, Associated Regulations, and Parity

Date: October 6, 2010
Presentation: Reform 101: Parity (PPT format | 769 kbytes)
Description: This webinar explained the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) and associated regulations, the implications on the field, and the processes that should be used to address problems that may occur in its implementation. In addition, the webinar discussed what role parity plays in the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

MHPAEA is a Federal law that provides participants who have employer-based insurance coverage that includes benefits for mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUD) coverage parity with benefits limitations under their medical/surgical (M/S) coverage. Put more simply, the law ensures that there is equality in the coverage and medical management applied to both MH/SUD and M/S. This law addresses the discrimination and inequality that historically has existed in insurance policies.

Health Reform 101: High-Risk Pools

Date: September 30, 2010
Description: In this webinar, the SAMHSA-sponsored National Conference of State Legislators highlighted the information needed to understand what the new high-risk pools are and what the Affordable Care Act (ACA) means to existing high-risk pools in 20 states. The discussion included information about the functions and purpose of high-risk pools, funding opportunities and mechanisms, and current Federal and state roles.

Health Reform 101: Health Insurance Exchanges

Date: September 23, 2010
Description: In this webinar, the SAMHSA-sponsored National Conference of State Legislators discussed the roles of state health insurance exchanges under Affordable Care Act (ACA), what type of products will be offered in exchanges, and what steps states need to take to launch an exchange by 2014.

Health Care Reform: Implications for Behavioral Health Providers

Presentation: Webinar Archive
Date: September 21, 2010
Description: This webinar covered how health care reform will affect the role of states, behavioral health providers and consumers; what is considered a health home; what services are provided in a health home setting; and which states are currently using health homes. Evidence-based approaches for people with co-occurring disorders and the role accountable care organizations will play was also discussed.

Last updated: 03/30/2011