Mental health and drug and alcohol services provided via the HealthChoices program differ from the physical health component of the HealthChoices program.
For mental health and drug and alcohol services, each county contracts with a managed care organization (MCO). Once you are enrolled with the MCO, you continue to have choices as to who provides your services. The MCO will send you a handbook outlining how to access services and outlining the benefits available to you. If a practitioner is a HealthChoices participating provider, and is accepting new clients, you have the right to see that doctor.
Under the behavioral health component of the HealthChoices program, counties are required to ensure high-quality care and timely access to appropriate mental health and drug and alcohol services, and to facilitate effective coordination with other needed services.
Each HealthChoices consumer is assigned a Behavioral Health Managed Care Organization (BH-MCO) based on his or her county of residence. Members, then, have a choice of behavioral health care providers within the BH-MCO's network.