Read the full article & supporting documents: http://www.khi.org/news/2011/jun/07/budget-cuts-lead-fewer-children-admitted-psychiatr/
"Budget cuts lead to fewer children admitted for psychiatric treatment
Bug cost savings sought by state may vanish, according to some
TOPEKA — As a result of state budget cuts, there has been a quick and dramatic drop in the number of children admitted to Kansas psychiatric treatment facilities.
The state Medicaid program works with 18 psychiatric residential treatment facilities, which mental health professionals call PRTFs for short.
"All about money"“In a three-month time period, the PRTF census has dropped by 30 to 50 percent,” said Trish Bryant, vice president for family preservation, foster care homes, and residential services at St. Francis Community Services in Salina. “My q
As the mental health centers were being told they needed to spend less, SRS officials were raising concerns that the PRTFs were being used too much, that children were staying in them longer than necessary and that many of the PRTFs’ services should be available through the mental health centers at less cost.
“The over-utilization concerns have been around for the past year or so,” said Mike Hammond, executive director at the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas.
“What’s different now is that Kansas Health Solutions has been asked to begin slowing the growth in Medicaid spending on mental health. The goal is to slow the growth by 6 percent,” he said.
Kansas Health Solutions is governed by a 15-member board. Eight of the board's members represent or work for a community mental health center.
Some PRTF officials said the drop in referrals is entirely about the budget cuts, regardless what state officials might say about over-utilization concerns. And a recent study commissioned by SRS revealed little evidence that the treatment centers were over utilized, though it did raise the concern about readmissions due to inadequate initial stays and coaching of parents in how to deal with their children upon release.
“Let’s make no mistake, this is all about money,” Rathbun said. “And if the goal is to cut spending by 6 percent, why is the census down 30 to 50 percent?"
Hammond said SRS asked Kansas Health Solutions and the mental health centers to look for various ways to cut spending, including referring fewer children to PRTFs, fewer adults to the state hospitals, and cutting back on outpatient services.
Right service, right time, right amount, right provider
"There will be a renewed effort..."
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