Category: Department News

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Department News

DBHDD announces staged rollout for Administrative Services Organization

DBHDD, in partnership with Beacon Health Options (formerly ValueOptions), has been diligently working to bring to life the vision that began with the procurement of the Administrative Services Organization (ASO). Following a procurement process, DBHDD awarded the contract to the winning vendor on September 16, 2014. The project is now called the “Georgia Collaborative ASO.” A press release regarding the bid award can be found on the DBHDD website.

The Georgia Collaborative ASO will consolidate the functions of several DBHDD contracts into a single, integrated system which supports both behavioral health and developmental disability services. This new and innovative approach will aid DBHDD and our provider network as we strive to provide easy access to high-quality care for the people we serve.

Initially, DBHDD anticipated a go-live date of April 1, 2015 for this new system. As the work has progressed, DBHDD and Beacon Health Options have evaluated and adjusted our strategy with the goal of ensuring that the vision of the ASO is fully realized through a carefully staged execution that supports the DBHDD provider network throughout implementation.

On July 1, 2015, the new quality improvement initiatives, including quality reviews for providers of behavioral health and intellectual and developmental disability services, will be implemented. Also on July 1, 2015, the CONNECTS system, a Beacon Health Options platform will replace the APS Healthcare system (Care Connection/MICP). The implementation of the Adult Needs and Strength Assessment and Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths Assessment will take effect on July 1, 2015 in concert with new authorization process supported by the Georgia Collaborative ASO.

The development of the case management Information System for intellectual and developmental disability services is underway with a rollout targeted for the fall of 2015. Columbus will continue to support DBHDD through the Columbus Information System during this transition.

DBHDD and the Georgia Collaborative ASO will be hosting a series of introductory webinars for DBHDD staff and providers in February with additional training and information sessions to be held in the coming months. Information and updates will be provided on the Georgia Collaborative ASO page on the DBHDD website.

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Department News Events

Public invited to comment and suggest improvements to Medicaid waiver programs

In collaboration with the Georgia Department of Community Health, DBHDD’s Division of Developmental Disabilities will host six public forums next month to collect comments and suggestions for the Medicaid waiver programs.

The opportunity to gather feedback is part of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ application process to continue operating the Comprehensive Supports Waiver Program (COMP) for another five years. The public is also invited to comment on the New Options Waiver (NOW). Both programs offer home- and community-based services for people with developmental or intellectual disabilities.

“We would like to reach out to individuals and families who use the services and to advocates and other interested parties to determine what programs are doing well and what could be improved,” said Catherine Ivy, director of community services for the division. She will be presenting the latest information on the NOW and COMP waivers at each of the forums.

Anyone who receives, provides or manages the NOW and COMP waivers is encouraged to attend one of the six statewide forums. Attendees will also participate in a focused discussion with other advocates and can record suggestions for improvements to services.

For locations and to RSVP, please visit http://dbhdd.georgia.gov/nowcomp-community-forums.

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Community Department News

Mental Health advocate Ken Whiddon passes away

Georgia remembers tireless peer advocate and provider

kenwhiddonA pioneer of peer support counseling, an advocate of supported employment and a provider of recovery-focused services, William Kenneth “Ken” Whiddon, who lived with serious and persistent mental illness, passed away last week. He was 63.

Whiddon once said, “When you meet someone, they always ask, ‘What’s your name,’ and then, ‘What do you do?’ Work is such an important part of who you are.”

Friends and colleagues share memories of Ken

He saw work as a path to recovery. His career as an advocate and a leader who educated and encouraged support for those in recovery started with an internship at a community mental health center. Whiddon founded a statewide peer-run recovery network, managed state services as a regional director and started his own company, AmericanWork, to provide services to help people with mental illnesses or addictive disorders live fulfilling lives in their community.

His work, which effected tremendous change in the state, did not go unnoticed. He was appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Council on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Addictive Diseases in 2006. In 2014 he was honored by the National Council on Behavioral Health with the Award of Excellence for Employment.

“As a man with lived experience, as an advocate, as a certified peer specialist, as a department administrator, as a provider, and as a friend, Ken’s very extraordinary life not only touched those of us who knew him, but radically moved the cultural needle of the system towards embracing recovery and full lives,” said Wendy Tiegreen, director of DBHDD’s Office of Medicaid and Health System Innovations.

After cycling in and out of state hospitals for 10 years, Whiddon returned to school and secured an internship at a community mental health center, which eventually led to a job at a day service center in Macon.

In 1991, Whiddon, along with other mental health consumers, won a federal grant and founded the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network (GMHCN) with the goals of promoting employment to foster independence, and providing training opportunities for consumers, including the Certified Peer Specialist Project. He was GMHCN’s first president and two decades later, the organization hosts one of the largest statewide annual consumer conventions in the nation.

Whiddon served 10 years in direct service and management positions in community mental health centers, a community service board, and as executive director of Georgia’s former Division of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse in region 2.

“Ken was briefly a regional director before he decided that he could get more done as a statewide provider,” said Cythnia Wainscott, who serves on the board of Mental Health America. “And did he ever! Thousands of people have benefited from his work.”

In 1999, Whiddon started his own company to help behavioral health agencies provide supported employment services.  He named it AmericanWork, Inc., affirming “I can work.” AmericanWork collaborates with the Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency and DBHDD to provide recovery-centered core services, specialty services and residential services. Through his company, Whiddon helped hundreds of people with mental illnesses reintegrate into the community after long-term hospital stays.

“[Ken] was a true advocate for those living with a mental illness, the company he created, and its dedication to providing high-quality care,” said former colleague at AmericanWork, Megan Paul. “His passion for supported employment was evident.”

At a meeting in 2001 to discuss the development of community residential sites to relocate several clients who had been living at Georgia Regional Hospital at Savannah, Whiddon said very little, but sprang into action. “Ken found and signed leases in a new upscale apartment complex [within a few days]. Not only did he work fast, but he also had high standards and wanted people with mental illness to have an opportunity to demonstrate to themselves and others that they could be responsible citizens and respected,” said DBHDD regional coordinator Charles Fetner. “Within just a few weeks, 19 people who had been in the hospital for years were living in their own apartment or were sharing one. Ken’s program was not just to relocate these individuals, but to integrate them into community life.”

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Department News

New leadership for Georgia Collaborative ASO

DBHDD’s new administrative services organization, the “Georgia Collaborative ASO,” will bring measurable improvements to coordination and efficiency across the behavioral health and developmental disability service network in Georgia. The initiative will be implemented through a partnership with ValueOptions, a national health care improvement firm, and several subcontractors.

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Anna McLaughlin

The project represents DBHDD’s ongoing commitment to improve outcomes for the people we serve. “This is a great opportunity for Georgia to build an integrated service system,” said Anna McLaughlin, DBHDD’s new director of ASO coordination. McLaughlin, who previously served as the department’s Region 3 transition coordinator, will spearhead DBHDD’s efforts in the initiative. Prior to joining DBHDD in 2013, McLaughlin spent 20 years in the nonprofit mental health field. She holds a master’s in conflict management, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification.

Jason Bearden Headshot
Jason Bearden

Working alongside McLaughlin is longtime partner of DBHDD Jason Bearden, who was chosen by ValueOptions as the CEO of the Georgia Collaborative. Bearden most recently served as CEO of Highland Rivers Health, one of DBHDD’s community service boards. Prior to his tenure at Highland Rivers, Bearden worked in the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget under the health and human services division.

“The new Georgia Collaborative ASO will serve as a key strategy to help accomplish DBHDD’s mission to provide easy access to high-quality care for individuals throughout Georgia receiving behavioral health and developmental disability services,” Bearden said. “It’s an honor to be a part of this new initiative that will reduce unnecessary administrative burdens for providers while facilitating system transparency through information-sharing among individuals, providers and policy makers. I look forward to continuing to work with DBHDD to promote an outcomes-driven and recovery-oriented system of care for Georgia’s behavioral health and developmental disability communities.”

McLaughlin and Bearden bring a host of expertise and enthusiasm that will drive the Georgia Collaborative to be an effective instrument for increasing coordination and efficiencies throughout DBHDD’s service system while adding new deliverables and accountability measures, all leading to better care delivery. “I really get excited when I have the opportunity to help bring about change that will make a positive impact on people’s lives,” McLaughlin said.

The collaborative will meet with providers and stakeholders to discuss the transition and implementation beginning early next year. Look for updates and new information as this exciting project moves forward.

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Department News

Announcement from Dan Howell, division director for developmental disabilities

DBHDD is looking for interested stakeholders to become members of the DD Advisory Council.

The council advises the Division of Developmental Disabilities and DBHDD on matters relating to care and service for people with developmental disabilities. Specifically, the council:

  • Assists the division in assuring that the department’s services and programs for people with developmental disabilities reflect adherence to the standard of “best practice” while providing quality services in a cost-effective manner
  • Recommends improvements to existing programs, as well as the development and implementation of additional programs for people with developmental disabilities in Georgia
  • Reviews DBHDD’s policies and policy revisions, and makes recommendations regarding the adherence to the department’s mission and the cost of proposed policies and amendments
  • Facilitates communication among department staff, providers, service recipients, parents, guardians and advocates of people with developmental disabilities, and other public and private entities involved in delivering services to  people with developmental disabilities

DD Advisory Council members serve a period of two years. Meetings are held in person at least six times a year, with subcommittee workgroups meeting at least four times a year. Conference calls and GoToMeetings may be an additional six times a year.

If you are interested in applying to become a member, please fill out the application form on the DBHDD website. Applications will be accepted until January 2, 2015.

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Community Department News Events

Accountability Courts Conference: DBHDD session supports veterans’ treatment courts

Governor Nathan Deal delivering welcome address Photo credit: Derrick Bryant, Judicial Council of Georgia, Administrative Office of the Courts

In September, DBHDD joined Georgia’s Administrative Office of the Courts to host the 10th annual Accountability Courts Conference. The five-day conference in Cobb County featured education and training sessions for over 1,000 law enforcement professionals and stakeholders who attended.

DBHDD conducted an all-day session, Veterans Treatment Court: Mentor Boot Camp. During the workshop, which was open only to veterans, participants received mentor training, enabling them to help other veterans successfully navigate veterans’ court treatment programs. Graduates of the workshop are trained veteran mentors and are eligible to be assigned by a veterans’ court to mentor a defendant. The workshop was provided through DBHDD’s Jail Diversion Trauma Recovery grant initiative.

Currently, there are five veterans’ courts in Georgia. They operate using either drug court or mental health court models. In April, Governor Deal signed SB 320, which established the creation of a veteran’s court division in Georgia’s judicial system. The new law will allow for make it easier for jurisdictions to create veterans courts.

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Community Department News Events

First Lady Sandra Deal visits DBHDD to celebrate recovery

Celebrating the work of the late Gregory Van Butler, the featured artist of the exhibit (pictured L to R: Denise Butler, First Lady Sandra Deal, Tiffany Butler, Commissioner Frank Berry) Photo credit: DBHDD staff

DBHDD recently welcomed stakeholders and community partners to the opening of a new consumer art exhibit. “The Art of Recovery” is a unique collection featuring artwork by individuals recovering from serious mental illness, substance abuse or both. The exhibit showcases the talents of these individuals and the role that creative outlets play in the recovery process.

First Lady Sandra Deal joined Commissioner Berry to honor the individuals who have contributed their work to the exhibit. “Art is a way for [people] to express themselves,” said Mrs. Deal. “What [these artists] have done is so great. It’s really wonderful work.”

DBHDD is dedicated to serving individuals in long-term recovery by helping them find their voice and offering a venue in which to share it. “The exhibit demonstrates that when given the opportunity to participate in effective treatment and recovery supports, people can and do recover,” said Mark Baker, DBHDD’s director of recovery transformation.

The artwork will remain on display in our central office in downtown Atlanta and will rotate on a bi-annual basis, creating a living gallery with a message of hope. State Representative Lynne Riley (R—Johns Creek) also attended in the event.

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Department News

Nurses wanted

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Do you know someone looking for a great place to work with flexible shifts and career advancement opportunities?

The Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (DBHDD) is hiring talented, compassionate and motivated nurses at each of our five state hospitals. Job descriptions and applications are available by location at dbhddjobs.com. Recruiters accept applications on an ongoing basis.

DBHDD nurses are among the best in the mental health field in Georgia and in the U.S. Our registered nurses (RN) and licensed practical nurses (LPN) work with professional colleagues who are committed to providing high-quality care to the individuals we serve. We encourage our nurses and provide them opportunities to practice to the full extent of their education and training.

Our nurses have a variety of career opportunities which may be clinical, programmatic or leadership-focused. An RN in our hospitals may advance to a charge nurse, nurse educator, nurse auditor, nurse manager or administrator, specialty or advanced practice nurse, nurse practitioner or nurse executive. Positions for RNs and LPNs are open in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Milledgeville and Savannah. Applicants are generally able to choose the shift they would like to work.

We offer competitive salaries, including shift differentials for nurses who work on second or third shift. Additionally, our full-time nurses are eligible for the state’s comprehensive benefits package—one of the best available in Georgia.

DBHDD nurses are at the forefront of health care delivery for people with behavioral health challenges and developmental disabilities. Interested parties are invited to apply for a position today, and see why there is no better place to help people in the state of Georgia than with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

 

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Department News Staff

System of Care Academy: Engaging youth, parents and providers

In June, the Interagency Directors’ Team of the Behavioral Health Coordinating Council hosted the 7th annual System of Care Academy in Stone Mountain. Partnering agencies included DBHDD, the Division of Family and Children Services and the juvenile justice, community health, public health and education departments, along with the Georgia State University Center of Excellence for Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health.

The three-day conference is the largest statewide multi-disciplinary gathering in the field of children’s behavioral health in Georgia, attracting over 400 parents, youth, agency staff and providers this year.

“The System of Care Academy allows for cross systems staff, providers, parents and youth to come together, learn together and work together,” said Linda Henderson-Smith, Ph.D., who chairs the conference and is director of DBHDD’s Office of Children, Young Adults and Families.

System of care involves coordination of a wide array of community-based services centered on individualized care and full participation from youth and their families.

The theme of this year’s conference was Ideal to Real. The goal is to train families and providers so that the system of care philosophy can be implemented at the local and community level.

“The System of Care Academy is about people working together,” said Henderson-Smith. “Parents are the drivers, and youth preferences are included in their treatment plans. At the academy, they learn practical information and strategies for implementing the System of Care framework at local county regional and state levels. It’s exciting to watch!”

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Department News

Department expands services for young adults

DBHDD’s child and adolescent mental health office is operating under a new name: the Office of Children, Young Adults and Families. The new office will expand its focus to include the young adult population (ages 18–26), which has historically fallen into a gap between adolescent and adult mental health services.

“Young adults have become a target population in the mental health field. Access to care at this critical age can make a significant difference in how someone’s behavioral health develops into adulthood. The new office allows us to focus on people developmentally, not just based on age,” said director Linda Henderson-Smith, Ph.D.

The office will continue to support children, adolescents and their families. Visit our website for more information on the Office of Children, Young Adults and Families.

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