IEHP's 2023 Future of Health Summit sheds light on mental health

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Nov 02, 2023, 20:00 ET

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif., Nov. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A deep dive into the mental health crisis was the focus of the 2023 Future of Health Summit hosted by Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP).

On. Oct. 13, health care professionals across the region gathered at the not-for-profit health organization's Rancho Cucamonga headquarters. Attendees learned from field experts about how providers can address a patient's mental health needs from assessment to treatment and beyond.

The impact of mental health was the focus of the 2023 Future of Health Summit. Hosted by Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP), the event invited health care professionals from across the region and beyond to hear directly from subject matter experts on Oct. 13.

Guests mingle prior to the start of the 2023 Future of Health Summit held inside IEHP headquarters in Rancho Cucamonga.

A guest enters the 2023 Future of Health Summit at Inland Empire Health Plan’s Rancho Cucamonga Headquarters on Oct. 13.

Program organizers welcomed Dr. Kenneth Paul Rosenberg as its keynote speaker. Rosenberg read an excerpt from his book, “Bedlam: An Intimate Journey Into America’s Mental Health Crisis,” and spoke about his experience in the field during a panel discussion.

In addition to Dr. Rosenberg, guest speakers included Amrita Rai, IEHP’s clinical director of community behavioral health; Dr. Matthew Chang, director of behavioral health with the Riverside University Health System; and Michelle Baass, director of the California Department of Health Care Services.

Inland Empire Health Plan’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Takashi Wada speaks at the 2023 Future of Health Summit on Oct. 13.

Dr. Matthew Chang, director of behavioral health with the Riverside University Health System, center, speaks during a panel discussion on mental health during the 2023 Future of Health Summit. He is joined by Dr. Vanessa Perez, director of behavioral health with the Health Service Alliance, left, and Dr. Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, author of “Bedlam: An Intimate Journey Into America’s Mental Health Crisis.”

Michelle Baass, director of the California Department of Health Care Services, provided guests with an overview of statewide programs available to Medi-Cal members, including a streamlined approach to enrollment and appointment services, and a new No Wrong Door for Mental Health Services Policy that ensures members receive care without delay.

"We don't want to close the door on our members who are seeking help, who are seeking assistance," Baass explained. "We want to meet the member where they are and provide services that are coordinated and in continuity as well."

Additional highlights included remarks by Dr. Timothy McDonald, chief patient safety and risk officer for RLDatix; Dr. Takashi Wada, IEHP's chief medical officer; and a panel discussion moderated by Amrita Rai, clinical director of community behavioral health for IEHP, featuring Dr. Matthew Chang, director of behavioral health for Riverside University Health; Dr. Vanessa Perez, director of behavioral health with Health Service Alliance; and Dr. Kenneth Paul Rosenberg, psychiatrist, author and filmmaker known for his book, "Bedlam: An Intimate Journey Into America's Mental Health Crisis," and short film, "Bedlam."

The 2023 Future of Health Summit marked the second event of its kind planned and hosted by IEHP. A third summit is scheduled for October 2024. Each year, the gathering explores strategic ways health care professionals across the state can better serve their communities and is tailored to provide resources necessary to make a lasting impact.

"IEHP is led by our mission to 'heal and inspire the human spirit,' and we take that to heart," Jarrod McNaughton, IEHP's chief executive officer, told the attendees. "It's an inspirational mission that actually comes from all of you and what you are doing to care for our members."

IEHP offers mental and behavioral health resources 24/7 through its website at www.iehp.org or by calling Member Services at 800-440-4347 from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Friday or from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Members and the community can contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 from any phone line for additional or after-hours support.

About IEHP

With a mission to heal and inspire the human spirit, Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) is one of the top 10 largest Medicaid health plans, the largest not-for-profit Medicare-Medicaid public health plan in the country, and for the third year in a row, certified as A Great Place To Work^®. In its 27th year, IEHP supports more than 1.6 million Riverside and San Bernardino County residents enrolled in Medicaid or IEHP DualChoice (those with both Medi-Cal and Medicare). Today, IEHP has a growing network of nearly 6,800 providers and more than 3,000 team members who are fully committed to the vision: We will not rest until our communities enjoy optimal care and vibrant health. To learn more, go to iehp.org.

SOURCE Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP)