Key Personnel:
Amy C. Vargo, M.A.
Patty Sharrock, M.S.W.
Jennifer Pedraza, B.A.
Frank Reyes, A.A.
Stephen Roggenbaum, M.A.
Mary Ann Kershaw, B.S.
A Study of the Quality of Children's Behavioral Health Services within Florida's Managed Behavioral Health Care Plans: Phase I - Measure Development
Publication Date: 6/1/2006
Description:
This study examined the quality of Medicaid-funded mental health services provided to children with serious emotional disturbance (SED) and their families in Pinellas and Pasco Counties in Florida (AHCA Area 5). The children were enrolled in one of the following Medicaid Prepaid Mental Health Program (PMHP) or Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO): Florida Health Partners (PMHP), Harmony (HMO), and Amerigroup (HMO). The study was conducted in two phases and consisted of two components of examination: measure development (Phase I) and service system evaluation (Phase II). This report details Phase I (the measure development component) of the study. Findings from Phase II of the study (the service system evaluation component) are detailed in a separate report (Vargo et al., 2006). For the current report, input was solicited from three managed care organizations (MCOs) mentioned above and AHCA Area 5 providers. This feedback was then used to direct the development of evaluation protocols utilized in Phase II. The research question guiding the first phase of the study was: What are appropriate ways to measure the quality of care indicators generated from the FY04- 05 PMHP Child Study?
