The current health system has a tremendous impact upon all children.
The results of a survey by the Brazelon Center for Mental Health
Law (of all 50 states and the District of Columbia) are reported
in Making
Sense of Medicaid. This report details various barriers related
to children's mental health services (About.Com News Center. (2000,
January
11):
- Services focus more on the availability of clinics and residential
care than on community-based services.
- Managed health plans have responsibility for outreach, identification,
and screening; however, they regularly overlook the needs of
children with mental illness.
- The availability of targeted case management and rehabilitation
options that focus on enabling children with mental illness
to live in the community are less available than other services.
- Medicaid fee-for-service is the primary financing mechanism
for intensive services.
Over the past four years, two new benefit plans have become available
through the public sector for children and adolescents with mental
health and substance abuse problems. The plans offer increased opportunity
for children and adolescents to receive mental health treatment. In
1996, an expanded benefit plan called State of Texas Access Reform
(STAR) became available. STAR benefits provide inpatient/residential
and outpatient coverage for eligible youth, i.e., those whose family's
income is at or below 100% Federal Poverty Income Guideline (FPIG).
In mid-1999, the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was implemented
to cover uninsured youngsters up to age 18. Current information reflects
that 50.5 percent are Hispanic, 34.9 percent are Anglo and 14.6 percent
are African-American. Enrollment efforts in Travis County were assisted
through a generous donation from the private sector, the Dell Corporation.
Children within 200% of FPIG are eligible for services. Included benefits
are prevention and intervention services, screening, assessment and
referral for mental health disorders, and hospital inpatient/residential
services with some limitations and exclusions.
Top Of Page
