The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released new outreach and enrollment strategy briefs that include examples that have been successful in minority communities. Each brief offers 10 outreach and enrollment strategies behavioral health organizations can use to introduce new health insurance options as a result of the Affordable Care Act.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides new health care options for Americans. The ACA brings affordable health insurance coverage and expanded access to mental health and substance use disorder services to millions of Americans. Community outreach and enrollment efforts can play a vital role in making sure that uninsured individuals learn about new health insurance opportunities. Organizations, including behavioral health providers, working with minority individuals and families face unique outreach and enrollment challenges. Some of those challenges include homelessness, isolated communities with few English speakers, past experiences with discrimination, and financial barriers such as high out-of-pocket medical expenses and prescription costs.
Links to resource:
- Strategies for Behavioral Health Organizations to Promote New Health Insurance Opportunities in Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Communities (pdf)
- Download the brief from the SAMHSA website
Date: 2014
Organization: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration