Behavioral health home impact on transitional care and readmissions among adults with serious mental illness

Objective: To evaluate the impact of Maryland's behavioral health homes (BHHs) on receipt of follow-up care and readmissions following hospitalization among Medicaid enrollees with serious mental illness (SMI). Data Sources: Maryland Medicaid administrative claims for 12 232 individuals. Study Design: Weighted marginal structural models were estimated to account for time-varying exposure to BHH enrollment and time-varying confounders. These models compared changes over time in outcomes among BHH and comparison participants. Outcome measures included readmissions and follow-up care within 7 and 30 days following hospitalization. Data Collection/Extraction Methods: Eligibility criteria included continuous enrollment in Medicaid for the first two years of the study period; 21-64 years; and use of psychiatric rehabilitation services. Principal Findings: Over three years, BHH enrollment was associated with 3.8 percentage point (95% CI: 1.5, 6.1) increased probability of having a mental health follow-up service within 7 days of discharge from a mental illness–related hospitalization and 1.9 percentage point (95% CI: 0.0, 3.9) increased probability of having a general medical follow-up within 7 days of discharge from a somatic hospitalization. BHHs had no effect on probability of readmission. Conclusions: BHHs may improve follow-up care for Medicaid enrollees with SMI, but effects do not translate into reduced risk of readmission.