Impact of Behavioral Health Homes on Cost and Utilization Outcomes

This study evaluated the impact of two behavioral health home (BHH) approaches, provider-supported care and self-directed care, on health care utilization and cost outcomes among adult Medicaid recipients with serious mental illness.

Eleven community mental health provider sites were randomly assigned to one of the BHH approaches, which each site implemented over a 2-year period. In both approaches, staff were trained in wellness coaching to support patients' progress toward general health and wellness goals. Provider-supported sites employed a full-time on-site registered nurse, who provided consultation to patients and wellness coaches. Each approach had a consistently enrolled treatment group (combined N=859) with a matched comparison cohort that was identified for analysis. Approaches were compared with each other and with baseline, and differences between each approach and its comparison cohort were examined by using analysis of covariance to determine impact on total health care cost, prescription costs, and use and cost of general medical and behavioral health services.

Relative to its comparison cohort, each approach achieved significant reductions in total cost (15% for provider-supported care and 26% for self-directed care) and increases in use of outpatient general medical services (43% for provider-supported care and 29% for self-directed care). Compared with self-directed care, provider-supported care resulted in approximately 28% lower use of general medical inpatient services and 26% lower related costs.

BHH approaches in community mental health settings can produce health care savings and decrease use of inpatient health care.