Access: Mental Health

Mental Health

MHCP Shared Mental Health Access Priorities

The Milwaukee Health Care Partnership (MHCP) members and affiliates have identified provider-driven strategies to improve access and coordination of behavioral health care, with a focus on low-income and vulnerable populations and health equity.

The MHCP convenes the Behavioral Health Provider Steering Committee to lead and execute a comprehensive work plan that includes the following shared priorities and their associated tactics/initiatives:

Studies and Research

Since 2008, the MHCP has worked with the Milwaukee County Behavioral Health Division to advance research as a foundation for the community’s journey toward an accessible, effective, recovery-oriented, and patient-centered system of care for individuals with mental health and substance abuse needs. Supported by a broad array of funders and community stakeholders, the MHCP has commissioned three behavioral health studies, facilitated by the Wisconsin Policy Forum and conducted by the Human Services Research Institute.

The most recent Outpatient Capacity Study explores the variety of clinical behavioral health services and programs that are provided outside of inpatient settings and are deemed essential for a comprehensive system of care, especially for low-income populations.  It outlines a series of recommendations to address both system fragmentation and provider shortages, as well as issues related to technology, reimbursement strategies, and integrated care in patient-centered medical homes.

Previous research commissioned by the MHCP includes a comprehensive Adult Mental Health Redesign study released in 2010 and an adult Inpatient Bed Capacity Analysis released in 2014.

Investments

Since 2008, Milwaukee’s health systems have contributed nearly $4.5 million in shared community investments to expand access to behavioral health services at community clinics and other partners.