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Henderson was selected as one of four innovative behavioral health systems nationally to participate in the Connect 4 Mental Health (C4MH) initiative.

The C4MH campaign emphasizes the fact that there is no “one size fits all” approach to addressing mental health care locally. However, CSMH has identified four strategies for community intervention that may show promise: 1) Early intervention, 2) creative use of technology, 3) integration of services and 4) continuity of care.

Henderson’s video addresses the first strategy: “Advancing Early Intervention After First Episode Psychosis In South Florida” and can viewed here.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida (April 2 2015) – On Saturday, March 21st, Henderson Behavioral Health (HBH), celebrated their Mind, Body, & Soul-utions – Celebrating Wellness Gala at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. With 250 people attending, the event netted $70,000 for the organization. Guests were inspired by a heartfelt program accompanied by The Sons of Mystro playing Josh Groban’s “You Lift Me Up” featured several of Henderson’s clients who live will mental health conditions – not a dry eye in the house and a standing ovation. The solemn mood quickly changed with a high energy performance by The Sugar Hill Gang which had everyone on their feet dancing.

Chairing the event was Susan Renneisen of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and a great committee of ladies including, Ann Burris, Julissa Caballero, Deborah Charron, Milin Espino, Gail Kaplan, Jen Klaassens, Jean McIntyre, Melissa Milroy, Robin Sterne and Judy Wong. Honorees included: Community Partner – Memorial Healthcare System, Community Advocate – M.I.N.D. (Mental Illness New Directions) at NSU, and Henderson Hero – Susan F. Delegal, attorney with Billing, Cochran, Lyles, Maura & Ramsey, P.A.

Presenting Sponsors were: The Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Holland America; Platinum Sponsor: Gulfstream Media Group; Gold Sponsors: BankUnited, Memorial Healthcare System, Medic Pharmacy and Marsh & McLellan; Silver Sponsor: Northern Trust; and Bronze Sponsors: Berger Singerman, Florida Power & Light, TD Bank, Aetna, Iberia Bank, NSU, Galleria at Ft. Lauderdale, Montero Law, Toshiba, Broward Health, NetSmart, Publix Super Markets Charities and Media Sponsors Sun Sentinel and Lifestyle Media Group.

For more information about Henderson Behavioral Health, please call Suzanne Higgins at 954-777-1624 or shiggins@hendersonbh.org

About Henderson Behavioral Health. Henderson Behavioral Health is the oldest and largest, community-based not-for-profit behavioral healthcare system in South Florida. Since 1953 Henderson has helped hundreds of thousands of children, adults and families. Henderson Behavioral Health’s mission is to serve as the premier provider of accessible, cost effective, and quality behavioral healthcare services to the people of South Florida in order to promote their mental health and well-being. Last year Henderson helped over 30,000 individuals, 8,000 of whom are children, providing 600,000 services at 20 locations in South Florida. Henderson maintains the highest level of CARF (Commission on the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities) accreditation, and has done so, continuously for twenty years. Visit Henderson at www.hendersonbh.org

One welcome provision in HR 2646—the Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act that was reintroduced late yesterday—is the extension of a federal program that offers financial incentives to providers to adopt EHR systems. Currently, most behavioral health providers are not eligible.

As of April 2015, nearly half a million other healthcare providers received incentive payments for participating in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR program, totaling $20.5 billion. If passed, HR 2646 would extend the opportunity to receive those incentive funds to behavioral health and addiction treatment providers, as they achieve various stages of “Meaningful Use” of their certified EHRs.

“Passing The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act would have significant impact on individuals and families coping with mental health and substance use conditions,” Steven Ronik, EdD, CEO of Henderson Behavioral Health in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., tells Behavioral Healthcare. “The provision authorizing extension of health information technology incentive payments to mental health and substance use providers and facilities represents a major advance for behavioral health by providing much-needed funding to enhance care coordination and quality. This enhanced coordination is a critical way to achieve better health outcomes for our patients—as behavioral health systems and primary care systems continue to integrate and coordinate care.”

Extended eligibility would include mental health treatment facilities, psychiatric hospitals and substance abuse treatment facilities. Newly eligible providers would include clinical psychologists and licensed social workers. Currently, behavioral health provider organizations can qualify for Meaningful Use incentive funds through the current definition of Eligible Professionals, which only includes physicians and some nurse practitioners. The typical behavioral health organization has a limited number of these professionals compared to psychologists and licensed social workers.

“In order to ‘treat the whole person,’ these providers need to be put on a level playing field with hospitals and other primary care providers,” said Mike Valentine, CEO of Netsmart, an EHR and technology provider, in a statement.

Netsmart is a founding member of the Behavioral Health IT (BHIT) Coalition, an advocacy group comprised of key organizations including the National Council for Behavioral Health, the National Association of Psychiatric Health Systems and others. The BHIT Coalition is a supporter and advocate for passage of legislation in Congress to extend full Meaningful Use incentive eligibility to behavioral health providers.

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Originally published:

http://www.behavioral.net/article/ehr-cash-incentives-proposed-behavioral-providers

On Wednesday, October 21, 2015, members of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL) enjoyed a master class in the history of the development of Broward County’s pioneering Misdemeanor Mental Health Problem Solving Court. The morning featured an interactive and instructional session of Mental Health Court with emphasis on the fidelities of therapeutic justice from a recovery perspective.

AAPL is holding it’s national conference at the Harbor Beach Marriott and identified Broward’s Misdemeanor Mental Health Court for an educational site visit. Judge Lerner-Wren, together with Chief Judge Peter Weinstein and members of Broward’s Mental Health Criminal Justice stakeholder community, including Chief Judge Weinstein, Owen McNamee, Public Defender’s Office; Pam Galan and Janis Blenden, Henderson Behavioral Health; Dr. Michele Sanchez and Ruqaiyah Holmes, Broward Sheriff’s Office; Aisha McDonald, Chrysalis Behavioral Health Center and Michele Prues, Fort Lauderdale Hospital, who participated in an enlightening working lunch forum, to a distinguished group of international and national forensic psychiatrists. It was a wonderful experience for all and we thank Carolina A. Klein, M.D. of AAPL for coordinating this visit.

For more information, please see their website: http://www.aapl.org/

Congratulations Broward!

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January 29, 2016 (Fort Lauderdale, FL) – Health Foundation of South Florida has awarded a $ 100,000 grant to enhance care coordination with a unified communications project that will transform the way Henderson Behavioral Health communicates internally and externally. The funding will be used to purchase a center-wide enterprise voice over IP (VOIP) solution to replace Henderson’s varied and aging phone systems.

According to Henderson Behavioral Health CEO Dr. Steven Ronik, “While the current infrastructure has served the organization well for years, its efficiency and effectiveness no longer meets the demands of the individuals we serve or the organization’s ability to grow.” He added, “This funding will support our ‘patients-first culture’ by providing technology funding that facilitates the responsiveness they need and deserve.”

The VOIP project will allow Henderson to implement one centralized phone system with 4 digit dialing capability between all 20 locations. The system will allow smoother coordination of care for clients and workflow improvements that will enhance the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the organization. The project scope will include purchasing of the VOIP hardware infrastructure and phones, project management, and training.

For more information on Henderson Behavioral Health, please contact: Pam Galan at 954.777.1622

Health Foundation of South Florida, a nonprofit grant making organization, is dedicated to improving health in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. By funding providers and supporting programs to promote health and prevent disease, the Foundation makes a measurable and sustainable impact in the health of individuals and families. Since 1993, the Foundation has awarded more than $113 million in grants and program support. For more information, please call 305.374.7200 or visit the website: www.hfsf.org

Henderson Behavioral Health is a private, not-for-profit behavioral healthcare system providing comprehensive, recovery-focused services to people of all ages. Henderson provides a continuum of high quality, community-based prevention, education, treatment and rehabilitation services by utilizing best practice and evidence-based treatment models to maximize recovery. Visit us at www.hendersonbh.org

Henderson Press Release_revised SG