NC Psychological Associations: No Mention of Public Mental Health Issues

From: Marsha V. Hammond, PhD, Licensed Psychologist NC

Dear Susan Hill PhD, North Carolina Psychological Association, Mountain Representative: 

Thanks for your hard work as the rep for NCPA for the "Mountain Region."  I just received the November/ December 2013 news letter and I have some comments: 

You indicated that the Executive Director of NCPA, Sally Cameron, is a 'mover and shaker,'  Prove it as re: public mental health.  

Sally Cameron, IMO, is no 'mover and shaker'; indeed, the woman has nothing at all to say, that is useful, re: public mental health e.g., Medicare/ Medicaid.  Twice I have joined NCPA and twice un-joined re: complete lack of attention to public mental health e.g., Medicaid/ Medicare.  I am not suggesting that she be the only person carrying the public mental health 'ball' but I hear/ see/ smell no information from any direction from NCPA re: public mental health.  

To suit, these are some of the pressing problems at this time: 

If one bills 96152, the Health and Behavior codes e.g., 96152 series which APA put into place vis a vis Medicare in 2000-----as of 1.1.2013 (yes, I have talked on the phone w/ Diane Pedulla at APA re: this matter and basically was suggested to "take it to your state org" which is dysfunctional re: public health matters) there is no wrap around to Medicaid under Smoky Mountain Center LME----which is managing Medicaid for about one-fifth of all of NC counties since the collapse of Western Highlands Network LME.  Forget even talking about the thankfully moribund Western Highlands Network LME.  

There is a class action lawsuit around this matter and other non-payment of Medicaid items.  I don't know all the details about that as I am too busy working.  However, Paul Tax, who is over claims at SMC simply had the suggestion to pursue the matter in this way.  

Dr. Bert Bennett, a psychologist at DMA, has no useful information on this.  I have used him as a person who knows what is going on re: these kinds of issues in the past but have no info forthcoming about this lack of wrap around which was formerly in place prior to 1.1.2013. 

That the state psychological association and WNCPA do not even have this on their written radar----as per the WNCPA newsletter-----is perplexing. There was nary a mention of SMC LME or WHN LME collapsing or any other public mental health concerns in the November/ December, 2013 newsletter.  

NCPA and WNCPA are not social clubs for me.  Rather, they should be a place where work should be getting done.  

But that's just my opinion.  Pass this to anyone you like.  

Marsha V. Hammond, PhD, Licensed Psychologist, NC

cc: Irene Matiatos: drirenem@gmail.com

Sally Cameron, NCPA

Paul Tax, Claims, SMC LME

Diane Pedulla, PhD, APA

Bert Bennett, PhD, DMA NC