Who is driving change, and where is it taking us? Interview with an expert.

Abstract

In addition to providing critical behavioral health services for those with mental health issues and substance use disorders, some Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs) in the United States have begun integrating primary care services, referred to as "reverse integration". Representing the interests of CMHCs across the United States, the National Council for Behavioral Health (NCBH) represents over 3,000 member organizations delivering mental health and/or addictions treatment and services to roughly 10 million patients and families. This article reflects a recent wide-ranging conversation with Linda Rosenberg, the president and CEO of NCBH. Trained as a social worker, Rosenberg was senior deputy commissioner of the New York State Office of Mental Health prior to joining the NCBH and is a dynamic and high-energy strategist and thought leader in the field of community mental health and integrated care. We discussed issues impacting payment for integrated care, including private equity investment, capitated payment, and the role of risk, and how these market dynamics impact vulnerable populations. For the sake of brevity, we summarize our conversation with Ms. Rosenberg and offer her perspective to integrated care practitioners and researchers who largely operate outside of this world of business built on calculated risks and rewards. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).