Member Services
Member Services is available to answer your questions, talk about your concerns, and make sure that you are receiving the services and supports that you need. Member Services is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Also, your local Community Mental Health agency has a local person able to take your call that can help you with questions or concerns that you have. Please find the contact information for your representative at the back of this handbook.
Member Satisfaction
At Venture Behavioral Health we want to make sure that you are happy. From time to time we will do satisfaction surveys over the phone or through the mail. The answers to the questions will tell us how happy you are with the services and the people that provided them. You have the right to not answer the questions. The service you get will not change if you answer them or not. All answers will be kept secret.
When You Are Away From Home
If you travel outside the counties of Venture and are in need of services, call your local Community Mental Health Center or Venture Behavioral Health Member Services at 1 (888) 357-0016 for assistance.
Prevention
It is important to us at Venture that you live a healthy life. That is why we want to make sure that you and your family have a wide range of services to help you.
Since there are many different services, we probably have something just for you. Something that will help you to enjoy life more, understand things better or learn new ways of doing things.
If you have questions about the kinds of Prevention Services that are offered in your area, please call the Member Services Representative at your local Community Mental Health or Venture’s Member Services Representative at 1(888) 357-0016.
Person Centered Planning
You have the right by state law to develop your plan of care. Through this process, you will be asked what goals you want to achieve, what you think would help you achieve those goals and in what way. The person who is working with you on this plan, will help in determining what services are available that can help you achieve your goals. You are then able to choose from these services, who you would like to provide this service, how often you would like this service and usually at what location. During your time in receiving services, you will be asked how you feel about the service(s) you are receiving and how you are getting closer to reaching your desired goals. Venture hopes that you meet your goals as quickly as possible and in a way that you believe has helped, so that you can live your life to it’s fullest.
Medical Necessity
MEDICAL NECESSITY Services that will be provided are those that you have helped determine will meet your needs and have been found to be helpful to other people. This is often called “medical necessity”, meaning the service is “necessary” to help with your “medical” (mental health) issue.
The actual services or supports that you receive at any given time will be determined by the exact needs you have at that time. The service that you receive must be for mental health, substance abuse problems, and/or to meet the needs of a developmental disability. The providers at Venture cannot help you if you have a cold or the flu or non-mental health issue, but instead will refer you to a medical doctor who can.
Coordination of Care
Venture Behavioral Health and its providers believe in coordinating care with your primary care physician (the doctor you see for your physical health). Being able to treat the whole person and coordinate all providers involved in treating an individual is important for full recovery and to prevent the relapse of symptoms. Therefore, we encourage customers to sign release of information forms with their mental health providers so that information can be shared with your medical doctor. The behavioral health provider that directly serves you is responsible for coordinating your care with you primary care doctor. If you do not have a primary care doctor and require one, your provider will assist you to obtain the care you need. This care coordination will become part of your overall care plan.
Advance Directives
It is your right under Michigan law, to make decisions about your medical care, including the right to accept or refuse medical or surgical treatment, as well as the right to make an advance directive. An advance directive is designed to enhance an incapacitated individual’s control over their medical treatment. There may come a time when you can’t decide about your own health care. The state of Michigan recognizes atype of advance directive called the “Durable Power of Attorney”. If you are interested in creating an advance directive, we can help you understand what it is, and also help you to get these documents. They do not change your right to quality health care benefits. The only purpose is to let others know what you want if you can’t speak for yourself.
Venture and its affiliated CMHSP’s also allow for you to create a “Plan For Difficult Times” also known as a “Crisis Plan”. This plan is intended to direct care if you begin to have problems in managing your life or you become totally unable to make decisions for yourself. If this happens, you will have already decided who you want to make these decisions for you.
Venture does not have any moral objections and will not create any limitations, to implementing an advance directive, however, there may be providers in our network who do. Please talk to your provider about their policies on advance directives. If you have any complaints concerning non-compliance with advance directives, you may file that complaint with the State of Michigan customer and Industry Services. |
