sible care for all MassHealth members. all families the best possible care.” It will be Massachusetts has the 7th largest im- helpful to have a printed list of race migrant population in the United States. categories to allow clients to make an Nearly ¼ of Massachusetts children are accurate determination of their race children of immigrants. Consistent data category. Show the client the race cat- collection in these areas will help us im- egories, and ask him or her to select one beliefs and perspectives are included to prove the planning, delivery, monitoring category for race. make sure that service provision and in- and evaluation of services and programs. terventions are appropriately aligned with Key to our efforts is that data must be the belief system of the child and family. Anticipate that many families have collected consistently, accurately, and However, documented differences (dis- multiple racial and ethnic identities and be professionally. parities) do exist with respect to access, prepared for questions. In the CBHI CANS Best practice for collecting race, eth- use and outcomes in behavioral health application only one choice may be selected, nicity and language data means always services based on race, ethnicity and lan- however, the fields for the selection of: allowing a person to self identify and guage. The only way we can begin to Other, Chooses not to self-identify, and asking all participants about their race, address these disparities is by gathering Unknown. A future re- lease of the CBHI ethnicity and language. Never make as- data on race, ethnicity, and language. CANS application will permit a person to sumptions based on appearance. This can Collecting valid data is critical, and the choose more than one race and ethnicity. CBHI CANS application now has revised be most comfortably done with a drop-down lists to improve the capture of brief explanation of data is being this demographic information. collected, such as ect In addition to the race categories listed It is important to collect race, ethnicity information about race, eth- d and language data because it provides a complete listing of Race, Ethnic- ity language to learn more about and Language Options can be found on information who we are serving and the families and communities we the CBHI CANS web site at , click on Info helps to ensure access to the best pos- This information will only be used to give for Providers, then click on CANS Tools.
beliefs and perspectives are included to make sure that service provision and in- terventions are appropriately aligned with the belief system of the child and family. However, documented differences (dis- parities) do exist with respect to access, use and outcomes in behavioral health services based on race, ethnicity and lan- guage. The only way we can begin to address these disparities is by gathering data on race, ethnicity, and language. Collecting valid data is critical, and the CBHI CANS application now has revised drop-down lists to improve the capture of this demographic information. It is important to collect race, ethnicity and language data because it provides information who we are serving and helps to ensure access to the best pos- sible care for all MassHealth members. Massachusetts has the 7th largest im- migrant population in the United States. Nearly ¼ of Massachusetts children are children of immigrants. Consistent data collection in these areas will help us im- prove the planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation of services and programs. Key to our efforts is that data must be collected consistently, accurately, and professionally. Best practice for collecting race, eth- nicity and language data means always allowing a person to self identify and asking all participants about their race, ethnicity and language. Never make as- sumptions based on appearance. This can be most comfortably done with a brief explanation of data is being collected, such as ect information about race, eth- d language to learn more about the families and communities we This information will only be used to give all families the best possible care.” It will be helpful to have a printed list of race categories to allow clients to make an accurate determination of their race category. Show the client the race cat- egories, and ask him or her to select one category for race. Anticipate that many families have multiple racial and ethnic identities and be prepared for questions. In the CBHI CANS application only one choice may be selected, however, the fields for the selection of: Other, Chooses not to self-identify, and Unknown. A future re- lease of the CBHI CANS application will permit a person to choose more than one race and ethnicity. In addition to the race categories listed a complete listing of Race, Ethnic- ity and Language Options can be found on the CBHI CANS web site at , click on Info for Providers, then click on CANS Tools.
cans-newsletter-april2010.docx