Mission Statement
- To promote and support the use of quality management principles to improve the quality, accessibility and delivery of care provided by Mental Health and Recovery Services (MHRS). To ensure program compliance with all Federal, State and Local regulations.
- To assist MHRS by providing training and support to users regarding MHRS’ Electronic Health Record (EHR), called the Integrated Records Information System (IRIS). To ensure the accuracy and integrity of data is maintained and in line with industry standards of care.
- To encourage continuous monitoring, modification and enhancement of beneficiary services. To improve the delivery of effective, culturally diverse, timely, appropriate, safe and accessible healthcare services throughout MHRS. To promote advocacy, empowerment, and education to consumers and their families about their rights within the behavioral health system of care. To ensure the delivery of services are made with responsibility and respect to all.
Department Support
Authority & Quality Improvement Services (AQIS) is a Mental Health and Recovery Services (MHRS) function area that supports programming in the other two MHRS function areas: Adult and Older Adult Behavioral Health (AOABH) and Children, Youth and Prevention Behavioral Health (CYPBH) Services. It supports MHRS’ two managed care programs, the Mental Health Plan (MHP) and the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC-ODS) as well as their other mental health and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) programming.
AQIS is comprised of three parts, the AQIS Support Teams division, the AQIS Data Support teams, and Patients' Rights & Advocacy Services (PRAS). The AQIS Support division includes the AOABH Support, CYBH Support, Managed Care Support, and SUD Support Teams. The Data Support teams in AQIS include the IRIS Liaison, Office Coordination, Health Information Management (HIM), and Data Analytics Teams. Patient’s Rights & Advocacy Services is a standalone team in AQIS.
- The AQIS Support Teams division participates in a variety of quality improvement and compliance activities across the MHRS divisions. One of their responsibilities is assisting with implementation of MHRS Quality Improvement (QI) Work Plan after its approval by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder (MHSUD).MHSUD expects MHRS to engage in continuous QI activities. AQIS also has responsibility for coordinating all MHSUD audits and implementing the mandates of the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Managed Care Final Rule published by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on May 6, 2016.
- The AQIS Data Support teams assist MHRS by providing training and support to users regarding MHRS’ Electronic Health Record (EHR), called the Integrated Records Information System (IRIS). The IRIS system is the billing system for all MHRS County and Contract operated MH and SUD programs. It is the documentation platform for all MHP Outpatient County operated programs and will soon similarly support county operated DMC-ODS and Crisis Stabilization Unit services. These teams are tasked with ensuring the integrity of data within IRIS, appropriately responding to data and patient record requests, and supporting MHRS implementation of State required Performance Outcome Measures.
- The PRAS team is a state mandated program under Division 5, Part 1, Chapter 6.2 of the Welfare and Institution Code that requires the County Mental Health Plan to have advocates protect the rights of people receiving mental health services in Orange County. They do this by monitoring mental health facilities, services and program for compliance with patient’s rights laws, regulations and policies. They also provide education to patients about their rights and serve as advocates for patients as applicable.
