Transition to Adulthood

New Adventures

Did you miss me? Life has been crazy, but I’m getting back on track. I started a new job a few weeks ago, and have finally settled in. I’m a consultant for a firm specializing in behavioral health care. Maybe you’ve heard of them—Open Minds, based out of Gettysburg, PA. In case you haven’t been keeping up (or are confused, which is understandable), health care has been going through changes over the last eight years, driven largely by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and the Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act. Payers and providers, not to mention consumers, are challenged with figuring out how to move from our American tradition of health care paid for on a “fee for service” basis, to one of paying for value; “value,” in our new world, is defined as improved health, lower costs, and better patient satisfaction, otherwise known as the “Triple Aim.”

The entrepreneurs among us know this kind of situation brings lots of opportunity for “disruptive innovation.” Innovation is good, but it will be disruptive along the way. That’s where consultants like me and my Open Minds colleagues come in—backed by Open Minds’ extensive warehouse of health care data, strategic insight and connections, we can help stakeholders navigate these tricky waters.

In general OM’s clients are providers and payers, and my former employer, Providence Service Corporation, was an OM client. For years I leaned on Open Minds in my job with Providence, but along the way I also discovered there was much in the OM library of resources to help me with Jason and Joshua. Here are just a few titles from the 2015 OM archives:

A Spotlight On Maine HCBS Waivers

Feature Article, April 27, 2015

Microsoft Launches Program To Hire People With Autism

Industry Bulletin, April 15, 2015

Idaho Company Creates App For Diagnosing Autism

Industry Bulletin, April 14, 2015

Film That Explores Love On The Autism Spectrum To Premiere At Tribeca

Industry Bulletin, March 20, 2015

Akili Interactive Labs Forms Clinical Collaboration Agreement With Autism Speaks’ Affiliate DELSIA LLC

Industry Bulletin, March 16, 2015

McKesson Adds ABA Utilization Management Criteria To Its Decision Support Software

News Report, February 22, 2015

Pennsylvania DHS Complete Proposed Adult Autism Waiver Amendment, Including Transition Plan

Industry Resource, February 20, 2015

Feds Launch Advisory Committee To Recommend Strategies For Improving Employment Rate For Adults With Cognitive Or Physical Disabilities

News Report, February 1, 2015

Google’s Cloud Searching For Genetic Causes Of Autism

Industry Bulletin, January 20, 2015

Sound interesting? You can start with a basic membership to the Open Minds Circle, where much of this content is made available, for free. If you find it as useful as I did, you or your support organizations can upgrade to a premium membership (reserved content) for $395, which includes free admission to OM’s five Executive Institutes each year. (I love going to these!)

Take a look at www.openminds.com, and if you sign up (scroll to the bottom), please tell them Lora sent you. It’ll make me look good with my new boss 😉

 

One thought on “New Adventures

  1. susanshipsey

    I learned so much just by reading the first two paragraphs of this post. Thank you Lora for being a font of wisdom and knowledge. I look forward to looking in to the Open Minds Circle. They are lucky to have you aboard~

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