Exploring New Waters From the Board Chair and the CEO 02 On January 20, 1969, an Englishman named John But it’s also critical for people who are not, and have Fairfax set out, alone, from the Canary Islands in a traditionally not been, our consumers. Nationally, 75 rowboat. Six months later, he landed in Florida — the percent of people with behavioral health disorders are first man to row, solo, across the Atlantic Ocean. receiving some kind of active medical treatment — but His achievement was little noticed by the world. Only not for their behavioral health disorders. hours after Fairfax rowed ashore, Neil Armstrong put We must remember that behavioral health disorders the first human footprints on the moon. include not just schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and We see a similar overshadowing today. For six years, other serious and persistent illnesses. They include a we have been overwhelmed with news coverage, long list of other conditions: from anxiety disorders, commentary and discussion about nationwide depression, gambling addictions, eating disorders and healthcare reform. It has obscured what may be an substance abuse disorders ... to post-traumatic stress even larger, more fundamental and more impactful disorder and the long-term effects of stress — whether change: redefining what “healthcare” truly means. And it’s from a high-paying job or from living on the street. in that arena, SCCMHA is, like John Fairfax, exploring Without treatment, these disorders will not take care new waters. of themselves. And they are likely to interfere with the The ocean we’re crossing is called Population Health patient’s physical wellness. Management (PHM). It is a way to bridge the gap What we bring to the intersectoral table today is between two traditional systems. Our individual not only our expertise in treating mental health and healthcare system identifies and treats illness and addiction disorders, but our mastery of consumer- injury in a single person. Our public health system centric support services and our expert navigation works to improve the health of the whole population, of the human services landscape in the consumers’ in part through preventive medicine. neighborhoods and communities. We are the The success of PHM depends on what the World facilitators between traditional healthcare service Health Organization calls “intersectoral” action and other non-healthcare services that, when offered planning — impacting factors that, while outside the together, will increase positive outcomes. traditional healthcare delivery system, affect the health Together with our partners in education, law of people. enforcement, faith-based community, human services Over the last several years, our organization has and healthcare, we have mature and purposeful begun to master intersectoral action planning ... in collaborations that have become, if we may boast a bit, part because behavioral health is so closely linked to the envy of the state. And while those collaborations physical health. make us proud, more importantly, they offer better services and improved outcomes for those we serve, We’ve seen that type of planning in the roles for their families, and for our community and the we’ve played in the Saginaw MAX System of Care, region. our Primary Behavioral Health Care Integration Transformation, the Saginaw Community Care HUB It’s not rowing across the Atlantic. It’s not setting foot and affiliated programs, Saginaw Pathways to Better on the moon. But it is, we believe, a giant leap for the Health, the Early Childhood Home Visiting partners people of Saginaw County. and the newly funded Michigan Children’s Health Access Program — all of which you can learn more about in this report. Some of these activities seem like a departure from what one might think of as “mental health.” And that’s Sandra M. Lindsey, the point. Mental health services must be oriented and CEO, SCCMHA integrated with primary healthcare like never before. Not only because a more holistic approach better meets the total needs of a consumer … but because we all realize the extent to which behavioral health affects physical health. Addressing physical and behavioral Philip Grimaldi, health needs concurrently improves outcomes for Chair, SCCMHA Board of Directors both. And it helps consumers access, activate and engage with primary healthcare. This is critical for SCCMHA’s traditional consumers — people with serious and persistent mental illness and intellectual and developmental disabilities. On average, they die 25 years earlier than average, mostly because of preventable and untreated chronic diseases. 03 Innovative Healthcare, Practices and Philosophies Saginaw County Community Mental Health Authority consumers might understand that getting healthier (SCCMHA) understands that many of the people we may mean more activity, making better food choices serve are at risk of dying an average of 25 years earlier and decreasing or stopping smoking. At the same than the general population. While most people might time, we recognize that being healthy means the think this may be due to a person’s mental illness, consumer’s medical provider and SCCMHA must statistics are clear that adults with mental illness are remain jointly focused on both mental and physical dying from preventable and treatable conditions. health needs. This model is called “Health Home” and SCCMHA is partnering with consumers to lead is recognized in Michigan as a model that provides healthier lives. We recognize that being healthy means an array of services such as care coordination, health that when a person seeks care from a primary care education and support for individuals with serious provider, the provider understands that person’s mental illness and substance use disorders that have physical and mental health needs. SCCMHA’s chronic health care conditions. innovative effort in developing integrated care for SCCMHA’s longstanding partnership with Health consumers was recognized by being awarded a four Delivery, Inc. (HDI) and Advanced Care Pharmacy year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental makes our home base at 500 Hancock the perfect Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in October place to launch an initiative like Health Home 2014. The grant, Primary Behavioral Health Care in Saginaw County. By bringing together Integration, is intended to support SCCMHA’s ongoing the quality healthcare of HDI and the commitment to identify, monitor and assist consumers innovative behavioral healthcare in managing their chronic health conditions such options through SCCMHA, as heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure, consumers are able to receive including coordination of their care in our community. “whole person” healthcare — SCCMHA is also working to support consumers in primary and mental health achieving better health by helping them to develop care, as well as prescriptions a personal wellness goal and to follow their doctor’s — all in one location at advice. We are working together as a team so SCCMHA. 04 Health Home isn’t the only integrated care resource Care HUB umbrella, works exclusively with children housed at SCCMHA. The Saginaw Community Care on Medicaid and is designed to create a system for HUB, which is operated by SCCMHA, serves as the children to access quality coordinated preventative central access point for support through Saginaw care through medical homes. Pathways to Better Health, Early Childhood Home Integrating healthcare means that we not only take Visiting partners, and soon, the Michigan Children’s strides in our own programs but that we reach out Health Access Program. Adults across the age and create partnerships with providers and resources spectrum (18 to seniors) in Saginaw and adjacent in the community as well, meeting consumers where counties who are eligible for or enrolled in Medicare they are and making services more accessible to and/or Medicaid who have two or more chronic those who need them the most. SCCMHA has been conditions. Clients are assigned a Community committed to building relationships throughout the Health Worker who will help educate them about community to provide the most comprehensive care their conditions, promote healthy behaviors and possible at all stages of life. Through collaborations facilitate access to needed health and social services with HDI, Partners in Pediatrics, area hospitals like such as housing, food and transportation. The Early Covenant HealthCare, St. Mary’s of Michigan, McLaren Childhood Home Visiting partners provide families Bay Region and many more healthcare providers, as with prevention and intervention services, help well as specialized support providers, we are working families understand specific developmental towards a larger system that will assess and address milestones and help children reach them, mental health needs of patients of all ages at the ensure children are kindergarten same time they are receiving care for other general ready and provide overall health or chronic health purposes. The success of a healthy screenings throughout their community rests on our ability to provide quality care formative developmental years. and supports to those most in need, and SCCMHA is The Michigan Children’s proud to be leading the charge toward integrating Health Access Program, the best behavioral healthcare with the best primary which will soon be coming healthcare in Saginaw County and beyond. under the Community 05 06 Successful healthcare integration needs innovative severe mental illness.