NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

Name

Capella university

NURS-FPX 4050 Coord Patient-Centered Care

Prof. Name

Date

Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

Good [morning/afternoon], members of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), New York. I’m grateful for the opportunity to speak with you today. In this presentation, we will explore key aspects of healthcare ethics and policy that impact care coordination for individuals with mental health needs, aiming to enhance their outcomes across various care settings. Let us begin by reviewing the fundamentals of care coordination and the pivotal role NAMI plays in supporting it. 

Concepts of Care Coordination and Continuity of Care 

These are two broad and essential concepts that must be fully understood before delving into the ethical and policy considerations affecting them. Care coordination involves organizing patient care activities in a structured, systematic way, which includes effective information sharing among healthcare providers, patients, and families (Karam et al., 2021). This structured approach ensures efficient, patient-centered care, allowing providers to enhance patient outcomes. Likewise, the continuum of care refers to the comprehensive management of patient care across different stages of the healthcare journey and various care settings. 

NAMI’s Essential Role in Care Coordination and Continuity 

As an organization working for mental health improvement, NAMI plays an essential role in coordinating care and maintaining continuity. Through its programs, NAMI facilitates connections between patients, healthcare providers, and community resources, ensuring seamless access to mental health services and support (National Alliance on Mental Illness, n.d.). Moreover, the organization works for policy changes to support integrated care models, bridging treatment gaps through different settings. Additionally, NAMI offers peer-led support groups, educational resources, and crisis management services to help patients and their families navigate mental health journeys, reduce stigmatization, and improve care outcomes (National Alliance on Mental Illness, n.d.). 

Health/Safety Policies that Impact Care Coordination in a Community 

In this part of the presentation, I will highlight a few health/safety policies that influence care coordination for mental health illnesses. These influential policies include the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). 

• The HIPAA policy protects the privacy and security of patients’ Protected Health Information (PHI) (Edemekong et al., 2024). This policy is directly linked with the information-sharing domain of care coordination, where necessary measures are undertaken to prevent information leakage through care coordination. In mental health practice, this is crucial as patients may encounter privacy breaches and stigmatization. Thus, NAMI plays the role of an advocate by establishing policies that balance patient confidentiality with the need for comprehensive care coordination, ensuring that mental health professionals respect patients’ privacy while sharing critical health data. 
• The MHPAEA provisions obligate equal insurance coverage for mental health issues and substance use illnesses as medical and surgical health services (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2024). This policy improves care coordination by ensuring that individuals with mental health issues have access to comprehensive care without financial obstacles. NAMI supports this legislation by developing and promoting policies that ensure uniformity between psychological and physical care services (NAMI, n.d.). This reduces care fragmentation and allows for seamless transitions across various care settings. By advocating for MHPAEA, the organization ensures patients can receive sustained, coordinated mental health care. 

Ethical Dilemmas – National, State, and Local Policies

However, some national, state, and local levels policies may lead to ethical questions that NAMI must comprehensively address for better patient outcomes. On a national level, the MHPAEA raises ethical questions regarding access to equal care. While this policy is implemented, several insurance providers still have limited mental health coverage. This leads to moral dilemmas around justice, particularly for children and marginalized populations (Mahmood et al., 2024).

In this regard, NAMI plays an active role. The organization can advocate through campaigns and mental health programs to ensure that people with limited access to healthcare services utilize these community-based programs for diagnoses and interventions of their illnesses. Thus allowing individuals facing mental health challenges to have equal access to coordinated and continuous care without financial discrimination. 

NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

On the state level, New York’s Mental Hygiene Law governs the treatment, rights, and care of individuals with mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders (Marsh, 2023). However, this law leads to ethical concerns about balancing patient autonomy and safety. Thus, NAMI New York can advocate for patients’ rights while balancing ethical principles of beneficence. This can be achieved through patient education and involvement in mental health programs, ensuring ethical sensitivity and respect for autonomy.

Finally, the New York City ThriveNYC Initiative is a mental health support program that aims to increase awareness among the residents related to the prevalence and management of the current psychological health issues within the communities (NYC Center for Innovation through Data Intelligence, n.d.). While this initiative is beneficial for local communities, it raises ethical questions regarding resource allocation and equitable access to services, especially in underserved neighborhoods. Therefore, NAMI plays a key role in advocating for equitable access through this initiative, working to ensure that community-based services are available to all, regardless of socioeconomic status. 

Code of Ethics and Factors Contributing to Coordination of Care 

The nursing code of ethics provides a guiding framework for nurses to practice patient care activities grounded in healthcare ethical principles. This substantially impacts care coordination by emphasizing principles such as autonomy, patient-centeredness, beneficence, and justice incorporated into healthcare practices (Varkey, 2021). In mental health practices, this guiding framework allows nurses to advocate for equitable access to necessary services and collaborate with other healthcare professionals to ensure continuity in treatment. Moreover, they are obligated to work for patients’ benefit by reducing stigmatization and maintaining privacy and confidentiality. 

Social determinants of health (SDOH), including factors like socioeconomic status, education, and access to healthcare, play a significant role in shaping care coordination. Inequities in these areas can result in disparities in access to mental health services. Thus, nurses must utilize the code of ethics to advocate for care practices that promote health equity and accessible care (Flaubert, 2021). NAMI plays an essential role in this process by working alongside nurses to tackle systemic barriers that prevent equitable access. Together, NAMI and nursing professionals contribute to addressing the underlying causes of health disparities, ensuring that ethical care coordination aligns with the broader goals of social justice and equal access to mental health care.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this presentation underscored the important domains of care – coordination and continuum, particularly for individuals with mental health needs. These aspects are grounded in ethical principles and health policies, ensuring care is standardized with uniform healthcare practices. NAMI plays a vital role in advocating for equitable, comprehensive, seamless, and continuous care. The organization’s efforts aim to establish a fair and accessible mental health system that effectively supports communities across the United States. 

References

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (2024, October 9). Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA). www.cms.gov. https://www.cms.gov/marketplace/about/oversight/other-insurance-protections/mental-health-parity-and-addiction-equity-act-mhpaea 

NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

Edemekong, P. F., Haydel, M. J., & Annamaraju, P. (2024). Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500019/ 

Flaubert, J. L. (2021). The role of nurses in improving health care access and quality. In www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. National Academies Press (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK573910/ 

Karam, M., Chouinard, M.-C., Poitras, M.-E., Couturier, Y., Vedel, I., Grgurevic, N., & Hudon, C. (2021). Nursing care coordination for patients with complex needs in primary healthcare: A scoping review. International Journal of Integrated Care, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.5334/ijic.5518 

Mahmood, A., Kedia, S., Arshad, H., Mou, X., & Dillon, P. J. (2024). Disparities in access to mental health services among children diagnosed with anxiety and depression in the United States. Community Mental Health Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-024-01305-3 

Marsh, C. (2023). New York Mental Hygiene Law Article 81 proceedings: A proposal to better protect the best interests of an alleged incapacitated person. Digital Commons @ Touro Law Center. https://digitalcommons.tourolaw.edu/lawreview/vol38/iss4/18 

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). What we do. www.nami.org. https://www.nami.org/about-nami/what-we-do/ 

NAMI. (n.d.). Mental health parity. www.nami.org. https://www.nami.org/Advocacy/Policy-Priorities/Improving-Health/Mental-Health-Parity/ 

NURS FPX 4050 Assessment 2 Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination

NYC Center for Innovation through Data Intelligence. (n.d.). ThriveNYC. Nyc.gov. https://www.nyc.gov/site/cidi/collaborations/thrive-nyc.page

Varkey, B. (2021). Principles of clinical ethics and their application to practice. Medical Principles and Practice, 30(1), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.1159/000509119