Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, Calif., Sept. 29, 2016 – CenCal Health, in partnership with the Central Coast Medical Association, The Holman Group, Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness and San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health Department recently hosted three seminars in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, and San Luis Obispo to review the behavioral health services available to Medi-Cal patients.  

It is important to CenCal Health to educate providers in our community so that they can render services to the patients that need these particular benefits. More than 185 people attended the seminars across the two counties, including providers, promotores, health navigators or people involved with community-based organizations working in behavioral health.

“It’s clear that one’s mental health is closely intertwined with their physical health” said Bob Freeman, CEO of CenCal Health.  “Working together to improve access to mental health services is to everyone’s benefit and time well spent.”

Mental health ranked among the top four community priorities among those in Santa Barbara County who were a part of the Community Health Assessment survey conducted by the Public Health Department this summer.

The seminar included information regarding the mental health benefits covered by CenCal Health, The Holman Group, Santa Barbara County Behavioral Wellness and San Luis Obispo County Behavioral Health Department.  Participants also learned about the process to refer a member for services, how to access care through The Holman Group provider network, and information on coordinating care for individuals with co-occurring diagnoses.

“CenCal Health is a tremendous community partner, and we appreciate their leadership on these educational seminars for physicians and other healthcare professionals to explain the intricacies of behavioral health services in our community,” said Dana Goba, Executive Director for Central Coast Medical Association.

Attendees remarked that they appreciated that they were able to speak directly to experts to better understand how to bill for authorized services. In addition, participants indicated that the workshops were highly successful and they asked that more workshops like these be offered in the future. 

“I attended this seminar because the mental health referral process is such a critical handoff from the primary treating physician to the mental health provider,” said Dr. Charity Dean, MD, MPH of the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. “CenCal Health’s leadership on this issue shows real integrity and a desire to partner closely with the medical community. The seminars were incredibly helpful.”

CenCal Health provides health coverage for nearly 178,000 members in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, making it the largest health insurer in the area. Operating in the community for 33 years this month, CenCal Health partners with many local providers, hospitals, community and nonprofit agencies to better serve their membership and coordinate care.

If you would like to learn more about these services, visit CenCal Health’s website at www.cencalhealth.org or call (800) 421-2560.  

About CenCal Health

CenCal Health is the largest local insurer in the region, providing health coverage for approximately 20 percent of residents in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. CenCal Health coverage is accepted by the vast majority of local health providers. CenCal Health also provides education and assistance to its members in order to reduce potential health problems from chronic illness such as diabetes and asthma. For more information, visit www.cencalhealth.org. Find CenCal Health on Facebook.

Media Contact:
Hannah Rael & Chris Davis
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