Comprehensive Analysis of Public Behavioral Health System

Overview

The Public Consulting Group (PCG) is conducting a comprehensive analysis of the public behavioral health system in Texas, as required by DSHS Rider 71, General Appropriations Act, 82nd Texas Legislature, 2011. PCG’s efforts will focus on two major components: (1) a comprehensive study of the current public behavioral health system in Texas and (2) short and long term recommendations for the Texas behavioral health system.

Between December 2011 and February 2012, a first round of stakeholder meetings were held around the State. These provided stakeholders with an overview of the engagement and to gathered stakeholder input on the current behavioral health system. Stakeholders were encouraged to provide feedback on topics including, but not limited to, access to services, service delivery models, current service array, and funding for services. Attendees also had the opportunity to provide input on the general strengths and weaknesses of the current behavioral health system and on the future direction of behavioral health services in Texas. Visit the PCG website at: http://www.publicconsultinggroup.com/client/txdshs/ for more information that was shared and gathered at these stakeholder meetings.

A report on the comprehensive study of the current system is scheduled for release in mid May, followed by a second round of stakeholder forum (see chart below). All interested stakeholders are encouraged to attend one of the public stakeholder forums identified below. Please subscribe to receive an email announcement when this page is updated.

Targeted Timeline for Rider 71 Report

The Public Consulting Group (PCG) anticipates the following target dates for completion  of the various components of the Texas behavioral health system analysis required by Rider 71.

• Phase 1 - Comprehensive study of the current system: Mid-May 2012
• Recommendations posted to DSHS and PCG website that PCG will present in stakeholder meetings: Late May 2012
• Stakeholder meetings: June 5-14, 2012
• Phase 2 - Recommendations for system change: Late September 2012

Phase II Stakeholder Meetings

If you have any questions regarding the public stakeholder forums, please contact Joey Longley at jlongley@civicinitiatives.com or Public Consulting Group at txbhstudy@pcgus.com. If you are not able to attend, you can also submit input to the Public Consulting Group at txbhstudy@pcgus.com. For those without access to email or who prefer to submit information in writing, you may contact PCG with your comments or questions at the following address:

Public Consulting Group
Attn: Joe Weber
148 State Street
10th Floor
Boston, MA 02109

People with disabilities or language interpretation needs who wish to attend the meeting and require auxiliary aids or services can contact Janie Villarreal with Texas Department of State Health Services at 512-776-6502 at least 72 hours before the meeting so appropriate arrangements can be made.

About the Analysis

The Public Consulting Group (PCG) is conducting a comprehensive analysis of the public behavioral health system in Texas, as required by DSHS Rider 71, General Appropriations Act, 82nd Texas Legislature, 2011. PCG is a management consulting firm with 25 years of national experience serving public education, health and human services, and other state and municipal government clients. PCG’s efforts will focus on two major components: (1) a comprehensive study of the current public behavioral health system in Texas and (2) short and long term recommendations for the Texas behavioral health system.

PCG’s comprehensive analysis of the current public behavioral health system in Texas will include a review of the programmatic structure of the system. This work includes the identification of various provider types delivering services, service delivery mechanisms, service offerings, and the various populations receiving services throughout the behavioral system. PCG will also review the financial structure of the current behavioral health system to understand the current and existing sources of funding leveraged to pay for behavioral health services. Lastly, PCG’s analysis of the current behavioral health system will include a review of other states’ behavioral health systems to identify potential options for Texas to improve their behavioral health service delivery system. This initial phase of the analysis will result in the comprehensive report to DSHS on the current state of the public behavioral health system in Texas.

Upon submission of the comprehensive report to DSHS, PCG will begin work on the second phase of the analysis, which will result in providing recommendations to improve access, service utilization, patient outcomes, and system efficiencies. The recommendations generated will include short term recommendations focused on efficiencies and long term recommendations or the behavioral health system.

In addition to available state programmatic and financial data on the behavioral health system, PCG and DSHS recognize that gaining insights from stakeholders is essential to developing a comprehensive view of the behavioral health system. With this in mind, PCG will, with the assistance of DSHS, reach out to the behavioral health community over the next few months to capture additional local data and information that is critical to the success of the analysis. At this time, PCG and DSHS are continuing to finalize the details for these outreach efforts. Once the details are finalized, additional information will be communicated to the behavioral health community to ensure those interested in participating in this effort will have the opportunity to do so.

Comments for this study can also be sent directly to PCG at the following e-mail address: TXBHStudy@pcgus.com.