DSL MEMO SERIES 2001-08

May 22, 2001

STATE OF WISCONSIN
Department of Health and Family Services
Division of Supportive Living

To:
Area Administrators/Assistant Area Administrators
Bureau Directors
County Departments of Community Programs Directors
County Departments of Developmental Disabilities Services Directors
County Departments of Human Services Directors
County Departments of Social Services Directors
Consumers Organizations
Directors, Community Support Programs
HSRS Contacts
Mental Health Coordinators
NAMI
Section Chiefs
Tribal Chairpersons/Human Services Facilitators
WI Council of Independent Living Centers
WI Family Ties

From:
Sinikka McCabe, Administrator
Division of Supportive Living

Re: Human Services Reporting System:  Mental Health Consumer Status Data Set

This memo provides information on the roll out of the Mental Health Consumer Data Set (CSDS) for the Mental Health Module of the Human Services Reporting System (HSRS). The collection of this data will assist the Department of Health and Family Services (DHS ) and county agencies in measuring consumer outcomes for children with serious emotional disturbances and adults with a serious mental illness.

Statewide implementation is planned to begin July 2001. The MH/AODA Managed Care Demonstration sites will implement use of the consumer outcome data set before the statewide implementation begins.

The outcome data will be required for consumers who meet the definition of BRC Target Groups 1 and 2. BRC Target Population Groups will be replacing the Severity Codes in the Mental Health Module. Please see Attachment I. Questions related to the translation of Severity to BRC Target Population Groups will be addressed at regional training sessions. Announcement of training sessions and locations will be sent under separate cover.

A strategic direction of the Division of Supportive Living (DSL) is to improve the accountability and outcomes of care and treatment within the mental health service system. As a part of this emphasis, the Bureau of Community Mental Health (BCMH) is involved in the federal Mental Health Statistics Improvement Project (MHSIP). MHSIP in Wisconsin is now in its second phase. Phase I was the development and implementation of a data collection and information management system resulting in the creation of the Mental Health Module of the HSRS. Phase 2 has focused on the collection of consumer service outcome information resulting in the creation of the CSDS.

DHS is currently implementing the recommendations of the Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission (BRC) on Mental Health (MH). One of the recommendations is to implement the values inherent in the BRC in the four mental health and alcohol and other drug abuse managed care demonstration projects. The newly created HSRS CSDS will assist DHS in assessing the BRC implementation efforts statewide in both a fee-for-service environment as well as in a managed care system.

CSDS was originally proposed during development of the MH Module. A set of outcome variables was defined and approved by the MH Data Workgroup. This workgroup was comprised of staff from DHS , counties and consumers. More recently, Wisconsin County Human Service Association (WCHSA) Mental Health Technical Advisory Committee reviewed and commented on the outcome data elements. The final version of CSDS was agreed upon after discussion and revision with the Mental Health Technical Advisory Committee.

The twelve-(12) item Consumer Status Data Set is an addition to the existing Mental Health Module Data Set. Attached to this memorandum are the HSRS manual pages defining the data fields included in the new portion of the MH Module. The additional data will be collected at the beginning of a treatment episode and then at six-month intervals for individuals with severe mental illness and severe emotional disturbance who have an open HSRS service episode of at least three months. Data entry screens have been added to the online HSRS system. Other modes of data transmission will be discussed at the regional training sessions.

DSL is attempting to identify one-time-only funds that could be made available to assist counties in entering outcome data and changing from Severity Codes to BRC Target Groups. The availability of these funds should be determined by June 30, 2001.

Thank you for your cooperation and assistance in this important initiative. Should you have any questions, wish to comment, or require further information, please feel free to contact Deborah Benson, HSRS Unit at (608) 267-7231 or Angeni Tapscott at (608) 267-9308.

Regional Office Contact:
Area Administrator

Central Office Contact:
Deborah Benson, HSRS Unit
DSL/AO
P. O. Box 7851
Madison, WI 53707-7851
(608) 267-7231
E-mail: BensoDW@wisconsin.gov

Angeni Tapscott
DSL/BCMH
P. O. Box 7851
Madison, WI 53707-7851
(608) 267-9308
E-mail: TapscA@wisconsin.gov

Attachments:

1. Summary of Transition from Severity Code to BRC Target Groups
2. HSRS Manual Pages

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