Optum Idaho will fund a community health initiative (CHI) grant of $420,000 for statewide efforts that help children who struggle with serious emotional disturbances (SED). In partnership with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, Optum Idaho released a Request for Proposal to solicit grant applications from qualified local or national applicants.
The goal of the Community Health Initiatives grant is to improve behavioral health outcomes among Idaho child and adolescent Medicaid beneficiaries with SED by helping clinicians adopt and implement evidence-based psychosocial treatments. The grant will help Idaho's effort to transform its behavioral health care system by investing in accountable, outcomes-driven and recovery-centered programs and services.
According to Optum's data, approximately 20,000 child and adolescent members less than 18 years old were provided services for at least one SED condition in 2015.
"The most effective behavioral health care is provided in the communities where people who need it live and work, and supports the principles of recovery and resiliency in every service and patient interaction," said Georganne Benjamin, executive director, Optum Idaho. "This grant will fund a statewide effort to continue the transformation of Idaho's behavioral health care system by investing in accountable, outcomes-driven and recovery-centered programs and services."
"By working with Optum to provide this grant, we will continue to enhance the overall health system", said Lisa Hettinger, Administrator for the Division of Medicaid at the Department of Health and Welfare. "Addressing issues surrounding children with serious emotional disturbances will help us improve care for some of our most vulnerable community members."
Applicants must demonstrate that they can work effectively with a sample of behavioral health care providers and identify facilitators and barriers to care provider adoption and implementation of the practice.
Applicants must submit their materials through an online process with BidSync at www.bidsync.com Proposals are to be submitted no later than 4 p.m. MDT Monday, Aug. 22, 2016. One applicant will be selected by an independent committee composed of people across Idaho directly involved with the behavioral health care system by Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, and the award will be announced in October 2016.
All questions related to the RFP must be submitted through BidSync and will be publicly posted and answered on bidsync.com. The bid # is RFP 2016 0523.
About Optum
Optum Idaho manages the outpatient behavioral health benefits for Idaho Behavioral Health Plan members and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Optum is responsible for ensuring that appropriate and adequate behavioral health services that support the practices of recovery and resiliency are available. More information is available at www.optumidaho.com.
About IDHW
The Division of Medicaid is one of eight divisions in the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. The agency's programs and services are designed to help people live healthy, productive lives. They work to strengthen individuals, families and communities. Learn more at www.healthandwelfare.idaho.gov.
Share This Story