Connie, Connecticut’s state-designated health information exchange, has been selected as one of nine recipients of a federal pilot grant aimed at improving how behavioral health data is shared and managed across healthcare systems.
The initiative is part of a more than $20 million national effort led by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The program is designed to test new health IT standards that better integrate behavioral and physical health data while ensuring privacy and security.
Through the pilot, Connie will focus on implementing an electronic consent management solution tailored to substance use disorder treatment data. The goal is to reduce barriers to care coordination by enabling secure, patient-directed data sharing between providers, while complying with strict federal privacy regulations, including 42 CFR Part 2.
As part of the project, Connie will partner with Community Health Resources and United Services, two behavioral health providers in Connecticut, to establish real-world data exchange using USCDI+ Behavioral Health standards. The effort will include building bidirectional, automated data sharing systems between behavioral health and clinical care providers, helping ensure that clinicians have a more complete view of patient information.
The pilot will also test new behavioral health-specific data elements in real-world settings across nine states. Insights from these programs are expected to inform future national standards, technical specifications, and policy decisions related to behavioral health data exchange.
Ultimately, the initiative aims to improve care coordination, reduce administrative burdens for providers, and enhance patient outcomes by enabling more seamless and secure sharing of sensitive health information.
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“We’re proud to help advance national standards that will benefit behavioral health providers and their patients, both in Connecticut and across the country. These grants represent an exciting step forward in strengthening the connection between behavioral and physical health providers. Behavioral health and SUD information are among the most sensitive types of data in healthcare, and both providers and patients should feel secure in how that information is shared. Thoughtfully designed consent management tools are essential to support secure, patient-directed exchange while giving providers the insights they need to collaborate more effectively on shared patients.”
Jenn Searls, Executive Director of Connie
“Caring for patients in SUD treatment requires true partnership between behavioral health and primary care teams. Too often, we’re working with pieces of a patient’s story instead of the full picture. This pilot allows us to securely exchange critical clinical information with our primary care partners in real time, reducing delays and supporting more connected care.”
Heather Gates, President and CEO of Community Health Resources
“By leveraging Connie’s consent management tool, we anticipate that we’ll be able to streamline coordination for all our patients at United Services. This program will help our staff spend less time on administrative tasks and more on delivering exceptional patient care for our community.”
Diane Manning, CEO of United Services