Dr. Virna Little, PsyD, LCSW-r of Concert Health is testifying in support of Maryland House Bill 48 at the Maryland Department of Health to expand Collaborative Care
Concert Health, a leading behavioral health medical group, announced that its co-founder and Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Virna Little, PsyD, LCSW-r will testify before the Maryland House today in support of Maryland House Bill 48.
The hearing, titled “Maryland Medical Assistance Program – Collaborative Care Model Services – Implementation and Reimbursement Expansion,” will also include the Maryland Behavioral Health Coalition, the Mental Health Association of Maryland, Mid Atlantic Business Group on Health, and other behavioral health leaders. Maryland House Bill 48 would require the Maryland Department of Health to expand access to and provide reimbursement for behavioral health services provided in accordance with the Collaborative Care Model under the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and could help prevent thousands of deaths each year if enacted.
“We are fighting to ensure that evidence-based behavioral health care is accessible to all Americans through the Collaborative Care Model. Concert Health stands with remarkable leaders and affiliates to support this bill and expand access to behavioral health services for Maryland’s population,” said Dr. Little. “The hearing today gives us the opportunity to educate legislators on the important role behavioral health plays in overall health and clinical outcomes, and to be a witness to a change on an issue that could save thousands of lives.”
Dr. Little also testified last week to the Maryland Senate Finance Committee in support of Senate Bill 101, supporting the requirement of Maryland Medicaid to provide reimbursement for services delivered through the Collaborative Care Model. Concert Health joined many other legislators and organizations in favor of the bill, including Senator Malcolm Augustine, Dan Martin from the Mental Health Association of Maryland, and Kristen Pendergrass from Shatterproof.
Concert Health has reached over 44,000 patients across 17 states through its Collaborative Care model, integrating behavioral health services into the existing workflows of primary care, women’s health, and pediatrics. This model connects these primary care settings with immediate access to Concert's expert behavioral health clinicians, giving providers screening tools and support, and eliminating the need for patients to hunt around for an in-network specialist or wait weeks for an appointment. Concert Health, which employs more than 200 clinicians, is leveraging Collaborative Care to set the industry standard for organizations aiming to tackle the mental health crisis, while also expanding these services beyond the commercially insured to those with Medicare, Medicaid, in rural areas, and in underserved communities.
About Concert Health
Concert Health is building America’s best behavioral health medical group. Through Collaborative Care, an evidence-based model for treating depression and anxiety in primary care settings, Concert makes it easy for primary care, women’s health, and pediatric providers [and hospital systems] to deliver high-quality behavioral health care and improve clinical outcomes. The company currently operates in 17 states and has cared for over 44,000 patients. To learn more about Concert Health’s approach, visit concerthealth.com.
Concert Health, Inc. is an administrative and managerial services company affiliated with several professional corporations that deliver medical services. Together, these organizations operate under the “Concert Health” brand.
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Contacts
Thermal for Concert Health
Danielle Bessey
concerthealth@thermalpr.com
