Behavioral Health
We partner with Beacon Health Strategies to administer our behavioral health program for our members. To request prior authorization for behavioral health services, call Beacon at 866-444-5155 or visit beaconhealthstrategies.com.
Want to Refer a Patient for Additional Support?
If you have BMC HealthNet Plan members 18 years and older whom you believe would benefit from behavioral health services or behavioral health care management, fill out the Behavioral Health Care Management Referral Form and contact Beacon Health Options (our Behavioral Health support) at 866-444-5155.
Need Help with a Patient?
PCPs can call our Physician Decision Support Line to discuss behavioral health issues with Beacon psychiatrists. Topics may include psychopharmacology, treatment alternatives and when to refer for a psychiatric assessment. To reach Beacon’s Physician Decision Support Line, call 866-444-5155.
Additional Resources
- Beacon Health Options PCP Toolkit: Assists Primary Care Providers (PCPs) in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders.
- MA Department of Health/Bureau of Substance Abuse Services: “Their future depends on you– Together we can prevent prescription drug abuse” brochure is now available for ordering and downloading. You’ll find roles that all community members can play to prevent prescription drug abuse.
Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT)
Behavioral health screens are a normal and integral part of comprehensive well-child care. Along with MassHealth, we require primary care providers to offer a behavioral health screen to all MassHealth members under age 21 at every well child visit as part of the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) schedule. You'll find information, resources and the list of the MassHealth-approved screening tools.
Additional Resources
- MA Child Psychiatry Access Project (MCPAP): The goal of the Massachusetts Child Psychiatry Access Project (MCPAP) is to help pediatricians and family physicians effectively meet the needs of youth with common mental health conditions such as ADHD, Depression etc.
- Tips for CBHI Providers Working with MCPAP
- My Child Project Launch (PCP Toolkit): Collection of tools and tips for incorporating early childhood mental health personnel and practices into the pediatric primary care setting.
Antidepressant Medication Management
Non-adherence to antidepressant medication is a major barrier in the successful treatment of depression. If any of your patients who have newly-prescribed antidepressant medications are having trouble with their medication, we offer the following tips to help you increase patient compliance and increase the successful treatment of depression:
- Give clear instructions about the new medication, including what the medication is for, how to take it correctly, and how long to take it for.
- Tell your patient that it may take a few weeks before the medication starts to work and it is important not to stop taking it; explain that you may need to adjust the dosage or change medication to get the desired result over time.
- Suggest your patient use a pill box and take the medication at the same time every day to build a routine; direct your patient to call us and we can provide a pill box at no cost.
- Discuss possible side effects and advise your patient to call your office if they have any, or with any questions or concerns.
Schedule a follow-up visit to monitor your patient's progress; discuss compliance with medications at every visit.
If your patient is pregnant or breast feeding, assure her that the antidepressant prescribed is safe to take.
Geriatric Depression Materials for Medical Providers
Our behavioral health partner, Beacon Health Strategies, developed a series of tools and resources for medical providers that cover the important topic of geriatric depression. You can find those materials here:
- Anti-Depression Poster
- Depression Recovery Tips
- Depression Treatment Tool
- Geriatric Depression Webinar
- Geriatric Depression Webinar Materials
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Wallet Card
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline Wallet Card Risk Assessment
- PCP Depression Assessment
- PCP Toolkit Instructions
- Treating Depression Patient Brochure
Clinical Practice Guidelines
BMC HealthNet Plan adopts, endorses and implements these evidence-based guidelines from national sources, professional organizations, or developed by regional collaborative groups. Guidelines serve as a means of establishing standards among medical and behavioral health providers to improve health outcomes. They are not intended to replace clinical judgment.
- Adult Depression in Primary Care (Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement or ICSI)
- The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health (2016) (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of the Surgeon General)
- ADHD: Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents (American Academy of Pediatrics or AAP)
Member Interventions
BMC HealthNet Plan encourages members to pursue healthy lifestyles through physical activity, healthy eating, and keeping up-to-date on all necessary screenings and vaccinations. Tools developed to support members include:
- Screening and vaccination schedule tools
- Member newsletters
- Text messaging programs with healthy lifestyle tips