BHbusiness Online Courses: Deadline Extended to December 16 – Limited Spaces – Apply Now

BHbusiness: Mastering Essential Business Operations (www.bhbusiness.org) still has spots available! The application deadline has been extended to December 16.  Space is limited—apply as soon as possible to ensure acceptance into the program.

BHBusiness is a series of online courses designed to help executives prepare their mental health or substance use disorder organizations for the changes occurring now in the behavioral health field. SAMHSA is offering this free online training specifically to help organizations develop skills in five critical areas:

• Strategic Business Planning
• Third-party Billing and Compliance
• Third-party Contract Negotiations 
• Eligibility and Enrollment
• Meaningful Use of Healthcare Technology

Each topic is the focus of a BHBusiness Learning Network, a group of providers led by a convening organization who learn and work together on one course topic. BHBusiness courses have been designed to accommodate adult learning styles and busy professional schedules, and they’re taught by experts in behavioral health and business. Each BHBusiness Learning Network also has support from an experienced coach, who keeps participants motivated and on track.

Participants have access to extensive online resources, technical assistance, and subject matter experts. The built-in peer networking allows BHBusiness students to learn from colleagues across the nation.

Here’s a sample of results from organizations participating in the first round of BHBusiness Learning Networks (March–September 2013):

• Alcoholism Council of the Greater Cincinnati Area collected $84,341 in new Medicaid revenue in less than four months
• Children’s Home of Cincinnati contracted with five third-party payers and developed a billing system to bill private insurance
• Journey Mental Health of Madison, WI successfully negotiated contract terms and a fee schedule with a third-party payer, with plans underway for several more
• NorthKey Community Care in Kentucky collected more that $52,000 in unpaid claims from its Medicaid MCO
• Port Human Services of North Carolina increased co-pay collections by 50% over the previous fiscal year in just three months

The State Associations of Addiction Services (SAAS) leads the project, in partnership with NIATx, the National Council for Behavioral Health (National Council), and Advocates for Human Potential (AHP).

For more information and application instructions, go to: www.bhbusiness.org/application