PEDIATRICS Vol. 110 No. 6 December 2002, pp. 1232-1237
SPECIAL ARTICLE |
Working to Improve Mental Health Services: The North Carolina Advocacy Effort


* Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
UNC-Chapel Hill, the Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital Pediatric Teaching Program and Guilford Child Health, Greensboro, North Carolina
UNC-Chapel Hill, Triangle Pediatric Center, Cary, North Carolina
--> Poor reimbursement of pediatricians for behavioral and developmental services and the disarray of childrens mental health services in the state led leaders of the North Carolina chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to organize an advocacy effort with the following objectives: 1) to articulate pediatricians perspective on the current crisis in delivering and coordinating childrens behavioral health services; 2) to represent the collective voice of both academic and community pediatricians in dialogue with mental health providers, Medicaid leaders, and the health and mental health segments of state government; 3) to build consensus about an achievable plan of action to address pediatricians reimbursement and systems issues; 4) to develop a full and appropriate role for pediatricians as providers and, potentially, coordinators of behavioral health care; and 5) to facilitate implementation of Medicaid changes, as a first step in carrying out this plan. This article describes the 24-month process that achieved these objectives.
Key Words: mental health advocacy Medicaid
Abbreviations: NC, North Carolina MH, mental health AAP, American Academy of Pediatrics SCHIP, State Childrens Health Insurance Program SHP, state health plan DMA, Division of Medical Assistance
Received for publication Jan 29, 2002; Accepted Jun 12, 2002.
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