The Alaska Behavioral Health Association (ABHA) is dedicated to efficient and effective service delivery. Counselors and Clinicians get into the field because they want to help people, not fill out paperwork.

We recognize that documentation can help prevent fraudulent use of public resources, ensure that scarce resources are utilized in the most efficient manner possible, and help track a client’s progress toward their treatment goals. ABHA supports each of these objectives.

If Alaskans do not vigilantly safeguard against excessive documentation and reporting, public funding and resources intended to help people recover from mental illness and substance use disorders are instead squandered on activities that do not help us achieve that goal.

In 2014, the Alaska Behavioral Health Association partnered with Alaska’s Division of Behavioral Health, the Alaska Mental Health Board, and the Governor’s Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse to examine federal and state reporting requirements and do a system review to reduce unnecessary administrative burden. Health & Social Services Commissioner Bill Streur charged the workgroup with finding real cost-savings through streamlined service delivery.

On June 30, 2014, the workgroup delivered its final Streamlining Report to Commissioner Streur and began work on implementing the recommendations.

UPDATE: A lot of progress has been made on implementing the original set of 11 recommendations included in the Streamlining Report. The Alaska Behavioral Health Association is continuing to work with its partners to track progress using the Streamlining Initiative Implementation Report.

Meaningful collaboration led to a set of practical solutions that improved quality and reduced cost. Dedicated effort followed the recommendations through to implementation.
This is how a successful public-private partnership works!