Action | 2011 Mental Health Services Program Changes for Appropriate Utilization & Provider Qualifications |
Stage | Final |
Comment Period | Ended on 1/29/2015 |
I feel that changing the current regulations to Crisis Intervention Services, specifically services only being "rendered by an LMHP, LMHP-supervisee, or certified prescreener" will have an adverse affect on the individuals who need these services. The demand for Crisis Intervention services places significant strain on many CSB's. Currently private providers can off set some of this demand while maintaining appropriate care for individuals in crisis. Should the proposed changes go through, many private providers would not be able to meet the new requirements, thus returning the demand exclusively to an already overburdened CSB/BHA system. This would in turn adversely affect the care provided to individuals in crisis as they would have to wait longer for some type of response rather than an immediate one, which is needed in most cases. Additionally, these changes are contradictory to statements made by public officials over the past few years who have publicly committed to increasing access to needed mental health care.