Invest in development, recruitment of behavioral health care providers

Oklahoma is transforming its approach to treating and preventing mental health issues. Evidence of this transformation is abundant. In March, state and local leaders broke ground on a new $70 million, 106-bed psychiatric hospital in Tulsa. Since its launch last July, 988 ― the three-digit lifeline anyone can call at any time for help with a mental health challenge ― has received nearly 40,000 calls from Oklahoma. And communities across the state have dedicated millions of dollars in local funds to launch new mental health services and resources for their most vulnerable residents.

This unprecedented level of investment has generated significant momentum for improving mental health outcomes in our state. To sustain that momentum, we must continue to remove the barriers too many Oklahomans face in accessing care.

For more than 2 million Oklahomans with private health insurance, a persistent barrier has been finding an in-network behavioral health provider who can be seen in a reasonable amount of time. In a recent survey of licensed behavioral health providers conducted by Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, 23% of actively practicing psychiatrists said it takes one to three months to get an appointment.

Gov. Kevin Stitt signed two bills this year that are among the strongest reforms anywhere in the country to address the issue of “ghost networks” ― insurance plans that appear robust on paper but in fact include inaccessible or nonexistent providers. Such networks commonly force patients to wait months for care, incur higher costs to see an out-of-network provider or go without care altogether.

Senate Bill 442 addresses high patient costs and excessive wait times for appointments by ensuring the accuracy of commercial health insurance plans’ directories of in-network providers. Senate Bill 254 caps out-of-pocket costs for consumers with private insurance when an insurer can’t arrange a timely appointment with an in-network provider. These bills address key takeaways of a report released earlier this year by Healthy Minds that found most behavioral health providers listed on health plan directories can’t be reached, aren’t actually in-network or can’t schedule an appointment in a timely manner.

We commend Sen. Jessica Garvin, former Sen. John Michael Montgomery, and Reps. Chris Sneed and Jeff Boatman for their leadership in tackling this issue. Oklahomans with private health insurance should be prepared to hold their carriers accountable when the new laws take effect on Nov. 1. The Oklahoma Department of Insurance’s Consumer Assistance Division provides resources and support to consumers navigating issues with insurance companies.

The biggest opportunity now ahead of Oklahoma is to increase the size and reach of the state’s behavioral health workforce. We face an acute shortage of critical professions that is projected to worsen if left unchecked. According to the Oklahoma Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency, 2021 marked a 10-year low in the number of mental health-related degrees conferred by Oklahoma higher education institutions. And research published in the American Psychiatric Association’s journal Psychiatry Services found that the number of psychiatrists leaving the workforce will be more than twice that of those joining the workforce by 2024.

Earlier this year, the Legislature created two new behavioral health workforce development funds to retain existing professionals and support clinicians who want to advance their careers. However, only one fund received an appropriation, leaving the full potential of these workforce development tools unrealized. Several legislators have requested interim studies on Oklahoma’s behavioral health workforce. We encourage legislative leaders to seriously consider this issue and explore innovative funding solutions that incentivize growth in high-need occupations.

By investing in the development, retention and recruitment of behavioral health care providers, our state can sustain its momentum on mental health and improve the availability and accessibility of services that benefit all Oklahomans.

Zack Stoycoff is executive director of Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, a policy think tank working to improve mental health outcomes in Oklahoma.

Source link