Prescription for Wellness

APPENDIX B: LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY RESPONSIBILITIES

In 1996, the Austin Travis County Mental Health Mental Retardation Center (ATCMHMR) accepted the challenge to develop new skills and technologies required as a site for implementation of HB 2377, i.e., Authority Provider Pilot. As a pilot site ATCMHMR's Board assumed responsibility for the following:

1. Developing and implementing mechanisms for planning, policy development, coordination, and resource development and allocation.
2. Ensuring and supervising service provision to persons with mental illness and mental retardation.
3. Developing and implementing processes that consider consumer input, cost benefit, and consumer care issues in order to ensure choice and the best use of public money in assembling and managing a local network.
4. Determining whether to become a provider of a service or to contract that service to another organization.

The purposes of ATCMHMR as the Local Mental health Authority are:

1. To assist in fulfilling the purpose of Title 7, Subtitle A of the Texas Health and Safety Code to ensure that a continuum of services is available to residents of its region by:
   • Providing effective administration and coordination of services.
   • Being a vital component in that continuum of services which strives to develop services that are effective alternatives to large facilities.
2. To assist in developing a comprehensive range of services for persons who need supported care, treatment, or habilitation through coordination among governmental and private entities to minimize duplication and share financing by:
   • Implementing policies consistent with state rules and standards.
   • Spending any available funds appropriated by the state legislature for priority populations.
3. To assist carrying out the policies of the state to assure treatment of persons in their own communities, when appropriate and feasible; that services be the responsibility of local agencies and organizations to the greatest extent possible; and to offer services to persons who are most in need by:
   • Providing screening services and continuing care services for persons entering or leaving TDMHMR facilities (i.e., state hospitals and state schools).
   • Charging reasonable service fees.
4. ATCMHMR, as the local authority, provides the following oversight responsibilities:
   • Planning
   • Policy Development
   • Coordination
   • Resource Development and Allocation
   • Supervision and Ensurance of the Provision of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services in the Local Service Area
5. In addition to providing a full continuum of care ATCMHMR has the capacity to perform support services to participate in managed care:
   • Single Point of Entry (SPOE)
   • Utilization Management (UM)
   • Quality Improvement
   • Credentialing
   • Management Information System
   • Claims Adjudication and Payment
   • Contract Management
   • Network Development and Management The above oversight responsibilities will allow for greater accountability for the development of public policy and management of services at the local level.

ATCMHMR's organizing agencies are:

• City of Austin
• Travis County
• University of Texas (withdrew in 1977 but committed continuing support)
• Austin Independent School District

ATCMHMR is responsible for serving:

• City of Austin
• Travis County
• Other service areas may be included depending on funding sources

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