In the Aloha state, all employer based plans are governed by the Prepaid Health Insurance Act, which has a comprehensive list of covered benefits for everyone in the state. While there is an effort to improve care coordination between MCOs and state agencies, there are no specific guidelines, procedures, or contacts for our children. A critical deficiency is the small number of providers and their location. A Federal Consent Decree for children's mental health services has brought the lack of providers to the attention of the general community. Unfortunately, respite is viewed as a luxury item and not as a basic need for families.
Coordinators are active advocates who use their personal resources.