State of New Mexico Selects OptumHealth to Provide Statewide Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services

OptumHealth Inc. today announced it has been selected by the state of New Mexico’s Interagency Behavioral Health Purchasing Collaborative to manage several publicly funded mental health and substance abuse programs. These include the State’s Medicaid program; federal mental health and substance abuse block grants; Children, Youth and Families behavioral health funds; and Community Corrections behavioral health funds.

"OptumHealth New Mexico rated far above other bidders overall in all categories considered by our evaluation process. It was very clear to the Collaborative members that OptumHealth was the right choice to partner with and continue New Mexico’s path of improvement for behavioral health services,” said Pamela Hyde, Human Services Department Secretary and co-chair of the Collaborative. The Collaborative is a group of 15 state agencies the Governor’s Office brought together to improve behavioral health in New Mexico.

In addition to managing all day-to-day contracting, monitoring, finances and reporting, OptumHealth will implement innovative programs to provide community-based programs for people in crisis, expand services for the state’s rural residents, ensure competent care for New Mexico’s diverse population (more than 50 percent of whom are Hispanic or Native American) and implement a new information system created expressly to meet New Mexico’s requirements. The company also will open offices in five New Mexico cities – Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Farmington, Las Cruces and Roswell – to provide community-based clinical, community engagement and provider-support services.

"New Mexico has an innovative, collaborative model that unites state agencies to provide seamless care in the communities where people live. It is truly a privilege to help bring New Mexico’s model to the next stage of its evolution,” said Dawn Owens, chief executive officer of OptumHealth. "We take seriously the confidence the state of New Mexico has in OptumHealth and our ability to manage and develop programs that promote recovery, resiliency and wellness for people who count on public programs.”

OptumHealth’s selection by the state of New Mexico, along with a recent contract awarded by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, "are clear signals that it knows how to work with public sector organizations to help improve outcomes for populations in need,” said Ronald Manderscheid, Ph.D., director of mental health and substance use programs for Global Health Sector, SRA Intl., Inc. Manderscheid is a recognized thought leader in mental health and substance abuse.

OptumHealth also announced today that Sandra Forquer, Ph.D., has been named chief executive officer for OptumHealth New Mexico.

"Sandra has devoted her entire career to improving public sector mental health, most recently as vice president of product development within OptumHealth,” said Andrew Sekel, Ph.D, executive vice president of OptumHealth Public Sector Solutions. "In partnership with the Collaborative, she and her team will focus exclusively on continuing to bring to life the state’s vision of improving the health and well-being of people receiving behavioral health services.”

OptumHealth serves more than five million public sector members in 38 states with programs that support recovery, resiliency and wellness for people facing behavioral health conditions, chronic illness or complex conditions such as transplants. The company’s contract with the state of New Mexico begins July 1, 2009, and has a four-year term.

About OptumHealth

OptumHealth, Inc. helps individuals navigate the health care system, finance their health care needs and achieve their health and well-being goals. The company’s personalized health advocacy and engagement programs tap a unique combination of capabilities that encompass care solutions, behavioral solutions, specialty benefits and financial services. Serving 60 million people, OptumHealth is one of the nation’s largest health and wellness businesses, and is a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company. More information about OptumHealth can be found at www.optumhealth.com.