National Behavioral Consortium, Inc.

Clinical Committee Conference Call Minutes

November 15, 2007

Present / Absent / Name, Plan Name
X / Ruth Fikes, MFT (NBC Clinical Meeting Facilitator, College Health IPA (CHIPA))
X / Suzanne Chaput, RN (New Directions Behavioral Health (NDBH))
X / Cathy Denson, RN (American Behavioral Benefits Managers)
X / John Emerick, MD (Companion Benefits Alternatives (CBA))
X / Thomas V. Foster, Jr., MD (Reliant Behavioral Health (RBH))
X / Jay Hale, LPC, CEAP (Carolina Behavioral Health Alliance (CBHA))
X / Jim Hall, MD (American Behavioral Benefits Managers)
X / Stephanie Heckart, RN (Companion Benefits Alternatives (CBA))
X / Maureen Hennessey, PhD (New Directions Behavioral Health (NDBH))
X / Rodolpho Hernandez, MD (Psychcare)
X / Alice Kuchinskas, MFT (College Health IPA (CHIPA))
X / Pete Lewis (Life Advantages)
X / Lynne Lockie, LCSW (BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee)
X / Lillian Mendez, LCSW (Psychcare)
X / Marjie Montano, LPCC (Mesa Mental Health (MMH))
X / Cliff Ridenour, LCSW (Wellpoint, Inc.)
X / Patty Schneider, RN (Reliant Behavioral Health (RBH))
X / Mark Schoder (Life Advantages)
X / Steve Sehr, MD (Mesa Mental Health (MMH))
X / Linda Sookman, RN (Psychcare)
X / Terry Sturke, MS (Wellpoint, Inc.)
X / Rick Vinnay, LISW (Mesa Mental Health (MMH))
X / Laura Williams (National Behavioral Consortium (NBC))
CALL TO ORDER: / Ruth called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: / The committee reviewed the minutes of the October 18, 2007 Clinical Committee meeting. Ruth pointed out that Kaiser was spelled incorrectly on page two. Tom moved to approve the minutes with the spelling correction. Stephanie seconded, and the motion passed unanimously.
EATING DISORDER INITIATIVE: / Pete provided the committee with a summary of the requested changes/revisions to the electronic eating disorders treatment facility survey. Pete will send Laura a list of all of the requested changes by next week. Pete indicated that the electronic survey would be complete by mid-December.
Laura reported that she has sent out all of the original facility listings to each plan that submitted them. Laura indicated that she has received a revised listing from one plan. Ruth asked that Laura follow-up with all of the plans to request facility listings to confirm that we have an accurate master list. Tom clarified that we will be surveying residential eating disorders treatment facilities (residential defined as the patient staying the night).
Ruth asked the committee to review the draft letter that will be sent to facilities asking them to complete the survey online. Laura indicated that she does not have a current count of members and providers (both MBHO and EAP) represented by NBC. Ruth asked that Clinical Group members email Laura with their plan’s membership information. John wondered about Step Two outlined in the letter and how the facilities will know their User Name and Password. Laura suggested that we include this information in the letter. The committee agreed that would work. There were no further comments or suggestions regarding the letter.
Ruth indicated that currently the eating disorders summit is planned for NBC’s fall meeting in San Diego, California. We will be discussing and planning the summit in more detail at our January meeting.
FOLLOW-UP:
Pete – Send Laura the list of requested changes to the eating disorders treatment facility survey. Laura will have the list reviewed and approved.
Laura – Request current facility lists from each plan. Update master list.
Everyone – Send Laura your plan’s membership information (the number of members and providers (both MBHO and EAP networks).
Laura – Develop User Names and Passwords for facilities to include in the letter.
NBC WEBSITE PROFESSIONAL LINKS: / Ruth reminded everyone to complete the two registration forms for access to the NBC website and eating disorders survey area of the website. The member registration form should be emailed to Stan at . The eating disorder survey registration form should be emailed to Laura at .
Ruth shared that Stan is currently working on developing the resource area of the NBC website and would like NBC members to email him links to professional sites that should be included on the NBC website.
FOLLOW-UP:
Everyone – Complete NBC website registration forms and submit to Stan and Laura.
Everyone – Email Stan professional links for the NBC website.
2008 QUALITY ACTIVITY: / Ruth reported that Stan recommended that she speak with Michelle White with Chestnut Health Systems to learn more about the GAIN short screener, which is used by Chestnut in their EAP programs to screen for substance use. Ruth wondered if it would be a good use of our time in Miami if we conference telephonically with Michelle to learn more about the GAIN screener. Discussion was had regarding the GAIN screener. John indicated that he would like to learn more about it. Tom noted that this particular tool was developed and used in the criminal justice system and has a certain shock value in the commercial world. Tom indicated that the GAIN is a private screener and we would have to pay to use it. Tom suggested that we look at other tools, public domain tools if possible, along with the GAIN. Tom wondered what the validity of the GAIN is if the criminal justice questions were deleted. Ruth indicated that she would ask Michelle, as Chestnut probably has some clients that use the GAIN without the criminal justice questions. Laura suggested that we gather some tools and look at them at our next teleconference. Ruth asked that Clinical Group members let her know of any substance use screening tools that they currently use or recommend. Consensus was had to gather screening tools and review them at an upcoming meeting.
FOLLOW-UP:
Everyone – Let Ruth know of any substance use screening tools that you would recommend.
Ruth – Follow-up with Michelle White to see if she has data on the validity of the GAIN when the criminal justice questions are excluded.
COORDINATION WITH EAP GROUP: / Ruth explained that historically NBC has met in-person three times per year, with the Clinical Group meeting on Wednesday, both the Clinical and Business Groups meeting together on Thursday, and ad hoc meetings on Friday. This year the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) folks have formed a separate track that is headed up by Dave Scharer and Tom Bjornson. The EAP track will also be meeting on Wednesdays. Ruth indicated that she has spoken with them about scheduling some time together at the January meeting, as there will be some areas where the EAP track and the Clinical Group will overlap, such as quality issues. It was agreed that we should connect with the EAP track at some point at the January meeting.
AGENDA FOR JANUARY MEETING: / Ruth referred the group to the draft agenda for the Clinical Group meeting on January 23, 2008, at the Sofitel Hotel in Miami, Florida. Ruth indicated that John has agreed to facilitate the meeting, as Ruth will not be able to personally attend, although she will be calling into the meeting. Ruth reviewed the meeting agenda with the Clinical Group. Ruth explained that she expanded the Introduction time to allow our newer members time to tell us about their companies and programs. The Clinical Group agreed that was a good idea. There were no further comments or suggestions regarding the agenda.
NEXT MEETING: / It was decided to cancel both the December 2007 and January 2008 conference calls, with the understanding that Ruth will call a meeting if necessary.
The next meeting of the Clinical Committee is scheduled for January 23 and 24, 2008, in Miami, Florida.
ADJOURNMENT: / The Clinical Committee meeting adjourned at 1:50 p.m. Pacific Time.
Respectfully submitted,
______
Laura Williams Date
APPROVAL OF MINUTES: / The minutes of November 15, 2007 meeting of the Clinical Committee were approved.

Ruth Fikes, MFT Date

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