The Behavioral Health Organization (BHO) initiative overseesthe transition to managed care for Medicaid recipients who receive mental health (MH) and substance use disorder (SUD) services in New York State. The metrics emphasize improving rates of timely follow-up treatment post discharge, timely filling of appropriate medication prescriptions post discharge, and reducing rates of readmission.The BHO SUD Continuity of Care dataset is designed to assess the frequency with which individuals receive a lower level, less intensive, substance use disorder or Mental Health Follow-Up service within 14 or 30 days following a discharge from inpatient detoxification, chemical dependence inpatient rehabilitation, inpatient detoxification or chemical dependence inpatient rehabilitation.
The year 2015 saw the conclusion of the first phase of the Behavioral Health Organization initiative
(BHO). A new Behavioral Health Managed Care Transition phase II is underway. The data contained in
the BHO metrics span 2010 to 2014, using the 2010 calendar year for a baseline. Earlier in the program
(2011‐2012) the metrics were calculated quarterly and on a year‐to‐date basis, later in (2013‐2014),
New York State Office of Mental Health opted for semi‐annual and year‐to‐date aggregations.