46partners behavioral health management becomes i2i champion

i2i Center for Integrative Health is pleased to announce that Partners Behavioral Health Management has become a Champion Supporter of the i2i Center for Integrative Health.

The i2i Center is a convener organization for healthcare leaders to work together to solve the most important issues affecting behavioral, intellectual and developmental disabilities and primary healthcare and support service systems within a comprehensive system of whole person care in North Carolina.

“As a Champion supporter, Partners Behavioral Health Management will be included in the i2i Advisory Circle – a group that will serve as a resource to Center leadership on policy and will be available to offer subject matter expertise and feedback on i2i Center activities as needed” said Mary Hooper, i2i Center Executive Director. “Partners Behavioral Health is increasingly recognized for its strength in community linkages and implementation of whole person care through its provider network and activities around social determinants of health. I am so pleased that the Partners team endorses i2i, and I am particularly excited to invite CEO Rhett Melton to join our Advisory Circle.”

“Partners continues to improve lives and strengthen communities through vital collaboration with network providers, government agencies, and community organizations. Our focus is to produce positive, measurable outcomes for those in need by establishing community-based projects and effective services through quality professional health care providers.” said Rhett Melton, CEO for Partners. “Being a Champion Supporter of the i2i Center for Integrative Health allows Partners to directly impact state policies, legislation, and resources to ensure the best health care system possible for North Carolinians.”

The looming changes to the behavioral health care system present Partners with a great
opportunity to build on the collaborative, community-based initiatives it has established. This level of support for i2i, and the level of expertise Partners receives from advisory partnerships within i2i, positions Partners as a leader in shaping a cutting-edge and innovative health care system for the individuals and families we serve. Partners looks to help North Carolina adopt an improved behavioral health system based on the same vision of long-term, evidence-based practices reactive to community needs on a local level through community trust and collaboration it currently uses to address opioid use, Whole Person Integrated Care, Trauma-
Informed Care for Children, Transitions to Community Living, and Partnership for Community Prosperity.

The i2i Center is currently exploring mechanisms to support policy initiatives and collaboratives. Initial efforts are evolving around consumer empowerment in system transformation, the integration of I-DD and primary healthcare, housing and housing supports for individuals transitioning to community living, and training in business practices that are consistent with the expanding managed care environment. In addition, we are finalizing plans for our Spring Conference – Collaborating for Change — June 11-12th in Raleigh. This conference will offer leaders from behavioral and I/DD health, primary healthcare, and the human services sector the opportunity to convene, discuss and learn from a variety of experts in preparing for the next stage of transformation across all parts of our healthcare system.

About i2i Center for Integrative Health

The January, 2018 establishment of the i2i Center for Integrative Health represents the evolution of the NC Council of Community Programs’ 34 year legacy of collaboration and advocacy. The mission of the i2i Center is to serve as an independent convener that fosters collaborative and evidence-based initiatives for improving the quality and efficacy of the behavioral health, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and substance use care and support services systems within a comprehensive system of whole person care.

About Partners Behavioral Health Management

Partners Behavioral Health Management is a Local Management Entity-Managed Care
Organization or LME-MCO for eight counties in North Carolina. It manages mental health, substance use disorder, and intellectual and developmental disabilities services for residents eligible for Medicaid, state health insurance, or without insurance in Burke, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Surry, and Yadkin counties.