Past Releases: Increasing Access to Health Services in Tough Times
Contact Communications@thenationalcouncil.org or 301.984.6200, ext. 240 for interviews with national experts in healthcare improvement and organizations participating in improvement initiatives.
While states attempt to balance their budgets in a fragile economy, the already tattered mental health and addictions safety net is in grave danger of collapsing as unemployment rates soar, anxiety over the future grows, and demand for services is at an all time high while we face cuts to publicly funded services and diminishing philanthropic giving.
In response to tough economic times, community mental health and addictions treatment organizations are adopting quality improvement models developed in the business sector to increase the numbers of people they serve.
“Times are tough in communities across the country” said Linda Rosenberg, President and CEO of the National Council. “As people lose their jobs and homes, states must resist cutting essential mental health and addictions services and federal stimulus packages must include funding relief. At the same time, the behavioral healthcare industry has to be ready for increased demand for our services. National Council members understand that they must work with the greatest efficiencies and be accountable for every taxpayer dollar.”
Consistent with the National Council’s commitment to offer mental health and addictions services to more people, three member organizations — LifeSpring in Jefferson, Indiana; Valley Cities in Auburn, Washington; and Rushford Hartford Healthcare in Meridien, Connecticut — have been s selected to participate in the National Council’s Lean Six Sigma initiative supported by Eli Lilly and Company. Lean Six Sigma is the integration of two powerful business improvement approaches pioneered by companies such as Motorola and GE to eliminate non-value added activities, reduce waste, and increase process speed and reliability.
“Process improvement delivers amazing results, streamlining operations and improving the quality of care,” said Chuck Ingoglia, National Council Vice President. “When we stop to examine how we do the things we’ve been doing for years, we find ways to improve how we do business. We eliminate unnecessary procedures and paperwork and help staff to become more efficient. We’re there when people need us.”
The Lean Six Sigma initiative comes on the heels of a year-long National Council Access and Retention improvement project that included Carlsbad Mental Health Center in Carlsbad, New Mexico; LifeWorks NW in Portland, Oregon; Northside Mental Health Center in Tampa, Florida; and SWEETSER in Saco, Maine. The Access and Retention initiative resulted in dramatic increases in the numbers of consumers served after a series of process improvement measures.
“We’re very proud of the members that participated in the Access and Retention project and we look forward to the success of the Lean Six Sigma initiative,” said Linda Rosenberg, “Our members are doing their best in these difficult times, and we hope others including government will do the same. Helping people that are suffering has to be as important as bailing out the banking industry.”
Learn more about National Council performance improvement initiatives.
The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare is a not-for- profit, 501(c)(3) association of 1,400 behavioral healthcare organizations that provide treatment and rehabilitation for mental illnesses and addictions disorders to nearly six million adults, children and families in communities across the country.
While states attempt to balance their budgets in a fragile economy, the already tattered mental health and addictions safety net is in grave danger of collapsing as unemployment rates soar, anxiety over the future grows, and demand for services is at an all time high while we face cuts to publicly funded services and diminishing philanthropic giving.
In response to tough economic times, community mental health and addictions treatment organizations are adopting quality improvement models developed in the business sector to increase the numbers of people they serve.
“Times are tough in communities across the country” said Linda Rosenberg, President and CEO of the National Council. “As people lose their jobs and homes, states must resist cutting essential mental health and addictions services and federal stimulus packages must include funding relief. At the same time, the behavioral healthcare industry has to be ready for increased demand for our services. National Council members understand that they must work with the greatest efficiencies and be accountable for every taxpayer dollar.”
Consistent with the National Council’s commitment to offer mental health and addictions services to more people, three member organizations — LifeSpring in Jefferson, Indiana; Valley Cities in Auburn, Washington; and Rushford Hartford Healthcare in Meridien, Connecticut — have been s selected to participate in the National Council’s Lean Six Sigma initiative supported by Eli Lilly and Company. Lean Six Sigma is the integration of two powerful business improvement approaches pioneered by companies such as Motorola and GE to eliminate non-value added activities, reduce waste, and increase process speed and reliability.
“Process improvement delivers amazing results, streamlining operations and improving the quality of care,” said Chuck Ingoglia, National Council Vice President. “When we stop to examine how we do the things we’ve been doing for years, we find ways to improve how we do business. We eliminate unnecessary procedures and paperwork and help staff to become more efficient. We’re there when people need us.”
The Lean Six Sigma initiative comes on the heels of a year-long National Council Access and Retention improvement project that included Carlsbad Mental Health Center in Carlsbad, New Mexico; LifeWorks NW in Portland, Oregon; Northside Mental Health Center in Tampa, Florida; and SWEETSER in Saco, Maine. The Access and Retention initiative resulted in dramatic increases in the numbers of consumers served after a series of process improvement measures.
“We’re very proud of the members that participated in the Access and Retention project and we look forward to the success of the Lean Six Sigma initiative,” said Linda Rosenberg, “Our members are doing their best in these difficult times, and we hope others including government will do the same. Helping people that are suffering has to be as important as bailing out the banking industry.”
Learn more about National Council performance improvement initiatives.
The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare is a not-for- profit, 501(c)(3) association of 1,400 behavioral healthcare organizations that provide treatment and rehabilitation for mental illnesses and addictions disorders to nearly six million adults, children and families in communities across the country.
