Virginia Regulatory Town Hall
Agency
Department of Medical Assistance Services
 
Board
Board of Medical Assistance Services
 
chapter
Amount, Duration, and Scope of Medical and Remedial Care and Services [12 VAC 30 ‑ 50]
Action Mental Health Skill-building Services
Stage Final
Comment Period Ended on 7/27/2016
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7/25/16  4:48 pm
Commenter: Melanie Patterson, DPCS

Enough SSPIs Already
 

I'm writing specifically in regards to Crisis Intervention on this town hall regarding SSPIs but also find the repeated need for SSPIs in Active Case Management to be an issue as well. Regarding crisis intervention services, why does another SSPI have to be completed to show that an individual remains in crisis, after just seven days? The SSPI form is a lengthy one, primarily historical in the nature of content & rewriting it over & over again unnecesarily only adds to an already overburdening documentation requirement for community mental health services. Where did the need go for quality mental health services? Instead of direct care methods given, it seems all we are encouraged to do is constantly write about it. The new regulations for Crisis Intervention essentially do away with the service all together. The likelihood of the SSPI content changing in 7 days is slim to none, hence it only adds addiitonal paperwork for the clinician.  As it does for Active Case Management services also. Why write about an individual because you could not make contact with them in 30 days? What has likely changed on the SSPI that calls for it to be written all over again so soon? Again, most likely nothing. It seems Magellan sometimes forgets the nature of the individuals that we work with. Individuals who have limited phone access in a month's time because they've run out of minutes, individuals who often refuse to answer the door, etc. Repeated unnecessary "assessments" only adds paperwok & deters an individual from seeking or continuing services because they see the lack of necessity for it as well & simply want to experience quality care & assistance. Please reconsider your requirements. Thank You.

CommentID: 50691