State mental health care management Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

State mental health care management - Term Paper Example However, there are those states that have adopted a public mental healthcare system so that it conforms to their already established common systems. As there is no standardized way of offering public mental healthcare across state lines, many problems arise with the individualized systems. Generally, success for such a system can only be guaranteed by precise planning and the careful use of public resources. The planning process should be inclusive of all stakeholders and other interest groups. Medicaid now caters for over 41 million individuals from low-income backgrounds. Its main aim is to provide funding for mental healthcare and all other healthcare. However, the amount that is used up in the provision of mental healthcare is dwarfed by the amount of other types of healthcare. Managed care of disabilities was expanded by the government to include mental healthcare; a move that has been lauded by some quarters and termed as controversial by others. Decision makers within the stat e have however disputed both divides but instead have cited that cost shifting across the expanded systems will inevitably worsen the current situation. In the same instance, it may reduce costs as ultimately, those that were institutionalized for 24 hours may be held on lesser times and new problems may be unearthed that may be state related and not necessarily representative of the country as a whole. Discussion The management of public mental healthcare has had some positive reports. Among the changes that have been noted is the increased access to a wide array of people, the expansion in the number of services that are provided, the consistency in care and decision making due to centralized care aided by the formulation of specific goals, increased accountability and emphasis on the positive outcomes and decrease in the use of inpatient care which may not be necessitated. Public state officials in local government authorities who are charged with the planning and implementation of appropriate public mental healthcare have encountered a number of problems despite the many gains that they have realized. The public care is too focused on the care of acute cases such that they are thin on resources aimed at rehabilitation and like services that could guarantee the long-term functionality of those people with relatively better mental conditions. The use of Medicaid applies to those people who are contracted under this system and it means that there are many people who are not encompassed in the program. There is also a problem that is associated with billing and receiving payments from people that have been served during the initial set up of the program. Finally, since it is difficult to measure the outcomes of care that has been given, it is very hard to guarantee consistency in a range of regions as the feedback is not forthcoming. In an attempt to change the way that public mental healthcare is offered, practitioners have encountered a limitation in the for m of the organizational structure and the finances availed. The expectations of the public and the common practices in public healthcare also largely shape the eventual outcomes of the programs provided. The focus of decision makers is on how to customize public mental healthcare so that it is outcome oriented and offers the customers high quality care consistently. Just like all other management decisions, there is need for elaborate planning including precise goals and