Review of the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Program

Brandeis University, Waltham MA

Investigators

Linked publications, trials & patents

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Ten years ago, Massachusetts became the first state to initiate a statewide "carve out" of its behavioral health program for Medicaid enrollees, the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Program. NIAAA-supported research at Brandeis University (AA-10880, PI: Donald S Shepard) and the New England Research Institutes (FIRST award, PI: Mary Jo Larson) have shown that the program clearly reduced costs of substance abuse treatment, while maintaining favorable results on two key indicators or quality (access and continuity), while another indicator (rapid readmissions) deteriorated. This review will determine how impacts on alcohol services compare to those for mental health services (managed through the same program and investigated by other researchers) and reasons for the successes or failures. These questions are particularly critical for state policy makers, where fiscal pressures in Massachusetts and other states may force unplanned service cuts. To address these objectives, this review will conduct a scientific conference, a policy conference, and produce a proceedings report and an edited journal edition. [unreadable] [unreadable]