Under the ACA, the expansion of behavioral health services is mandated for health care organizations. Whether your current health care organization already offers these types of behavioral services, or whether it will need to begin offering these types of behavioral health services, is subject to evaluation and goal setting by both the health care executive and the board of directors. As a current or future health care executive, you will likely engage in developing business plans for new initiatives and health care delivery service flows in your health care organization. With the recent move to address expanded behavioral health services in health care organizations, developing a business plan for expanded behavioral health services is both timely and appropriate.
Review the resources for this week and review the business plan template for this Assignment. Reflect on the major considerations your health care leadership team members need to keep in mind when developing a business plan for the expansion of either mental health or substance abuse services in your health care organization.
The Assignment: (5 pages)
- The ACA has provided for increased coverage of mental health and substance abuse services; however, there remains a shortage of these services in health care organizations. Your role as a health care leadership team is to evaluate opportunities for expanded behavioral health initiatives. Develop a business plan to model the expansion of either mental health or substance abuse services within your health care organization.
- Also, prepare your business development plan as a PowerPoint presentation.
References:
Albright, B. (2014). The ACA and behavioral health: A look ahead. Behavioral Healthcare, 34. (2), 36–40.
Beronio, K., Glied, S., & Frank, R. (2014). How the Affordable Care Act and mental health parity and Addiction Equity Act expand coverage of behavioral health care. Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, 41(4), 410–428.
Buck, J. A. (2011). The looming expansion and transformation of public substance abuse treatment under the affordable care act. Health Affairs, 30(8), 1402–1410.
Coffey, M. J., & Coffey, C. E. (2016). There is no health(care) without mental health(care). In The Society for Healthcare Strategy and Market Development of the American Hospital Association (Ed.), Futurescan healthcare trends and implications: 2016–2021 (pp. 43–46). Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.
Garfield, R. L., Lave, J. R., & Donohue, J. M. (2010). Health reform and the scope of benefits for mental health and substance use disorder services. Psychiatric Services, 61(11), 1081–1086.
Ogundipe, B., Alam, F., Gazula, L, Olagbemiro, Y., Osiezagha, K., Bailey, R. K., & Richie, W. D. (2015 ). Remaking the American health care system: A positive reflection on the Affordable Care Act with emphasis on mental health care. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 26(1), 49–61.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has provided for the expansion of behavioral health services in health care organizations. As a healthcare executive and member of the leadership team, it is essential to develop a business plan for the expansion of either mental health or substance abuse services. This plan should consider the major factors that influence the expansion of behavioral health services.
Answer: When developing a business plan for the expansion of behavioral health services, the healthcare leadership team must consider several factors. These factors include the current supply and demand for behavioral health services, the availability of healthcare providers and the financial implications of expanding services. Healthcare organizations must also evaluate the current insurance reimbursement policies and regulations governing behavioral healthcare providers. They must also consider the impact of technology on behavioral healthcare service delivery, as telemedicine and other technological advances have become critical components of efficient healthcare delivery strategies. In summary, developing a business plan for the expansion of behavioral health services requires thorough research, planning, and consideration of the major factors that influence service delivery in healthcare organizations.
Additionally, the business plan should be presented as a PowerPoint presentation, highlighting the critical factors and demonstrating how the organization plans to address the supply and demand gap for behavioral health services in the healthcare system. The plan should also outline the necessary steps, including infrastructure, staff training, and financial investment, required to operationalize the plan. The presentation should also indicate how the healthcare organization plans to evaluate the success of the initiative, as monitoring progress and outcomes are crucial components of any healthcare initiative.
