Priority: Comprehensive Services Including Behavioral Health
Ensure a Comprehensive, Equitable and Accessible System of Care for Children and Their Families
A full range of social and health services is critical to ensuring that RI children and families thrive.
Focus on Children’s Behavioral Health System of Care and Leadership: Children and youth in need of behavioral health services face a fragmented and inadequate system. One of the costliest outcomes of the status quo is that children remain too long or become stuck in inpatient care or out-of-state placement. A comprehensive and effective response will require:
Coordinated leadership and planning including nonprofit community-based providers;
Continuation of telehealth which has increased access and participation by children, youth, and family members;
Consistent coverage across insurers and strengthen state oversight of Medicaid and commercial insurers; and
Program enhancements including intensive and extended community- and home-based treatment options, and a statewide mobile crisis response system to respond to emergencies and mitigate hospitalization.
