Medicaid Managed Care - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

Medicaid Managed Care - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Medicaid Managed Care - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

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21 e6/23/1997 16:03 7036845968 NMHA PAGE 03 Page 2 While many of the community-based interventions in the mental health field are non-medical in nature, they are essential to sustaining individua1ls with severe mental illnesses in the community. Psychiatric rehabiliation,, financed through the rehabiliation option,. 'is a prime example. NWHA strongly believes ,that managed care firms shouild develop mechanisms to accredit these interventions -- and most importantly'- - strengthen the capacity of the community-based system by investing in such programs. .~~~~~~~~n .o.r.a. .

22 Kathy. STATEMENT OF KATHLEEN H. MCGINLEY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS, THE ARC Ms. McGINLEY. Good morning. It is a pleasure to be here. I am Kathleen McGinley, and I am assistant director of governmental affairs for The Arc. The Arc is a national organization on mental retardation, and many of you may know us by one of our previous names, which was the Association for Retarded Citizens. We have had a series of names over the last 50 years that reflect the movement in the field of mental retardation. Before I start to talk, I am going to talk about people with developmental disabilities and mental retardation, and I have brought a number of handouts. One is the definition of "developmental disabilities," and if you get that-it is a pink handout-it will show you the broad range of people encompassed in this category. I have also brought The Arc's resolution on managed care and long-term supports, which reflects many of the things that Al said and I brought the CCD principles on managed care for people with disabilities. The issue of managed care and people with special needs is an issue that has been under discussion for a long time in the area of developmental disabilities and mental retardation. This morning, I want to take some time to ,ye you some general information about some of the health and long -term services needs of the children and adults who fit-and I do not know if 'fit" is a good word-the definition of developmental disabilities, because it is such a broad group of people. Then I want to talk about some specific concerns that we have about managed care which we see sometimes as having goals that are totally the opposite of the stated goals of the field of mental retardation. The first thing I want to do is go through the definition, and if you do not have a copy of the definition in front of you, let me just go through a few parts of it and give you some examples of people with developmental disabilities. A developmental disability is a severe, chronic disability of a person 5 years of age or older which is attributable to a mental or physical impairment or combination of mental or physical impairments, manifested before the person reaches the age of 22, likely to continue indefinitely, resulting in substantial functional limitations in three or more areas of major life activity, reflecting the person's need for a combination and sequence of special treatment or services that are of lifelong or extended duration, individually planned and coordinated. Some of the people who fit this definition are people with mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, spina bifida, epilepsy, emotional disturbance, spinal cord injuries before the age of 22, so it is a very, very broad group of people. Because it is such a broad group of people, I am going to concentrate more on the needs of children and adults with mental retardation because that is really who I advocate for. Mental retardation is not a disease. It is not something that can be cured. Not so many years ago, it was believed that there was something wrong with people with mental retardation, that they

21<br />

e6/23/1997 16:03 7036845968 NMHA PAGE 03<br />

Page 2<br />

While many of the community-based interventi<strong>on</strong>s in the mental<br />

health field are n<strong>on</strong>-medical in nature, they are essential to<br />

sustaining individua1ls with severe mental illnesses in the<br />

community. Psychiatric rehabiliati<strong>on</strong>,, financed through the<br />

rehabiliati<strong>on</strong> opti<strong>on</strong>,. 'is a prime example. NWHA str<strong>on</strong>gly believes<br />

,that managed care firms shouild develop mechanisms to accredit these<br />

interventi<strong>on</strong>s -- and most importantly'- - strengthen the capacity of<br />

the community-based system by investing in such programs.<br />

.~~~~~~~~n .o.r.a. .

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