Behavioral Health Services Celebrates One Year Anniversary

By Dr. Lucy R. Cannon, LCSW, CCDP-D, Clinical Director of Behavioral Health Services

Lutheran Services of Georgia, Inc. is proud to announce the celebration of our new Behavioral Health Services program’s one year anniversary. We provide outpatient mental health and substance abuse services to children, adolescents, and adults in metropolitan Atlanta. Our BHS clinical staff provided mental health services to our first client on August 21, 2013. BHS’s first client referral came from LSG’s FACES program, which provides support for individuals with developmental disabilities. BHS has a full-time Director/Clinical Director and qualified part-time clinical and administrative staff members that will include a board certified and Forensic psychiatrist, registered nurse, licensed professional counselor, and administrative staff. Our great team now provides mental health and substance abuse services to 15 clients.

BHS’s first year has been very successful. On July 3, 2013, BHS obtained an Outpatient Substance Abuse license through the Department of Community Health (DCH). In March 2014, thanks to the hard work of LSG leadership, the Quality Improvement Program Manager, and BHS Program staff, BHS received a 3-year CARF accreditation. LSG’s CEO and President Floyd R. Blair, Chief Operations Officer (COO) Gary Johnston, and Vicky McClention have been instrumental in assisting LSG in implementing the Behavioral Health Services program.

BHS has also become a provider of third party insurance companies to include FEI Behavioral Health, EAP, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Georgia, AETNA, and TRICARE (military insurance coverage for active duty service members, veterans, and military families). BHS recently received a CMO Medicaid Provider number from DCH. Currently, we are awaiting final approval to become an Amerigroup Child and Adolescent Medicaid provider pending credentialing approval. In October 2014, we will be applying for adult Contracted Provider Services, formerly Core Services, through the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Services (DBHDD). We also offer sliding scale fees for indigent and private pay clients.

Our commitment to provide state-of-the-art services allows us to establish unique relationships with our loyal clients and family members, internal LSG programs, and community agencies. These relationships are the main reason we were able to successfully meet the needs of the people we served over this past year. Our staff has worked hard to achieve these successes. We want to personally thank the entire LSG leadership and staff for all of their support of this new program over this past year. We are excited about the further growth and development of Behavioral Health Services and the continued support of the LSG Team.

For more information about Behavioral Health Services, click here.