Provider networks are created as joint ventures by multiple partner organizations, often in the form of limited liability companies. They may provide healthcare or behavioral healthcare. In these settings our clients are often working on the formation of the joint organization while also addressing the complexity of planning for joint services.

Provider associations include both state and national membership organizations that are planning for the purpose of policy and system level changes.

In both networks and associations, the tension between the needs of individual organizations and the good of the whole is an ongoing challenge for the group. MCPP consultants have considerable experience in working within these collaborative systems, having facilitated retreats and staffed intensive planning efforts for our clients that focused on both the internal formation issues and the joint service planning issues. MCPP worked with a consortium of providers to create a proposal for a single, integrated behavioral health acute care system that would substantially reduce inpatient utilization. The design for this acute care system included mobile crisis services, 23-hour crisis stabilization services, home based stabilization services, crisis respite beds, and acute care beds.

A computer model that supported the risk-based bid used assumptions about the "flow through" of people contacting the acute care system, the cost of providing the services and varying payment mechanisms. This enabled the planning team to test and fine tune their bid prior to its submission.

Case Studies: Provider Network or Association

Case Study 1 MCPP led a strategic planning process for a statewide membership organization of county mental health directors. This project included the development of the planning approach, fax surveys of all members and telephone interviews of selected people within and external to the organization. MCPP analyzed the data and developed the environmental scan analysis and key strategic issues. Finally, we facilitated the board retreat and subsequent work sessions to finalize the vision and mission statements, goals and objectives. As adopted, the plan provides consistent organizational direction for the future.