ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND One of the challenges of public sector managed care is to address the complex needs of persons with serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI). Although many public sector providers are appropriately concerned that application of private sector managed care treatment restrictions may adversely affect treatment of persons with SPMI, managed care also offers the opportunity for both programmatic and reimbursement flexibility that in some cases may enhance services to persons with SPMI. The best examples of this have occurred in the development of capitated funding projects for provision of integrated services to this population. This chapter outlines the basic conceptual framework for such a project, a comprehensive, multi-level, integrated services system (ISS) designed to provide long-term treatment and rehabilitation services on a capitation-basis to persons with SPMI.
