Quality Assurance

Quality Outcomes & Training Division

Quality Assurance Unit

 

Unit Manager:  Bradley Bryant, Ph.D.

The Unit is responsible for maintaining adherence by the Department and its contracted providers to the requirements for providing quality Medi-Cal Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS) to the residents of Los Angeles County.

The Unit consists of the following Teams:

Medi-Cal Certification

Manager:  Norma Cano, Psy.D.

Certifies and recertifies the Department’s directly-operated (DO) and contracted providers in accord with all applicable standards for providing Medi-Cal SMHS.

Policy & Technical Development

Supervisor:  Jennifer Hallman, LCSW/MPA

Develops and revises policies, forms, manuals, and bulletins associated with Medi-Cal SMHS, responds to audits, and supports DO programs in providing direct clinical services by assisting with workflows, developing and refining the Department’s electronic health record system (EHRS), and facilitating the use of the EHRS both clinically (training end-users) and administratively (leveraging system data for QA purposes). Serves as a liaison between the County Mental Health Plan and the State Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).

Training & Operations

Manager:  Nikki Collier, LCSW

Provides non-IBHIS related training, consultation and technical assistance to contracted providers regarding the documenting and claiming of Medi-Cal SMHS and reviews the clinical records of contracted providers to identify areas where support is needed.

Health Information Management (HIM)

Manager:  Charles Onunkwo, MHA, RHIT

Serves as the legal custodian of health records in terms of organization, content, maintenance and authorized disclosure or release to third party requestors. Provides direction and guidance to DO providers receiving subpoenas. Maintains single non-duplicated records for each client, eliminating data errors in provider documentation. Maintains confidentiality, security and privacy of clinical information, including other safeguards consistent with State and federal laws.

Hospital & System Support

Supervisor:  Diane Guillory, MPA

Provides QA-related support to County owned/operated and contracted Short-Doyle Medi-Cal hospitals, initiates State Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) waivers for unlicensed contracted-provider clinicians, and serves as a liaison between the County Mental Health Plan (MHP) and the DHCS.