From left: MHF Board President Dr. Felix Holiday, MHF Interim Director Eileen Healy and SZV official Glen A. Carty.
PHILIPSBURG--Mental Health Foundation (MHF) and Social and Health Insurances (SZV) signed a budget agreement on Monday to maintain quality service for patients covering the years 2019 and 2020.
The budget agreement provides MHF with SZV funding that would cover the actual cost of services provided to SZV-insured patients. The agreement includes quality indicators for services provided by MHF.
“Both parties are content with the outcome of the agreement, which benefit clients by improving the quality of services,” it was stated in a press release on Thursday.
The agreement was signed by MHF Board President Dr. Felix Holiday, MHF Board Secretary Erika van de Horst and SZV Director Glen A. Carty.
SZV and MHF have been working together for many years to provide and maintain quality care for MHF clients. In the past, MHF would encounter financial constraints, as actual cost incurred would be higher than projected budgets. SZV recognises the importance of adequate mental health care services for residents and its insured.
“As a social and health insurance provider, SZV’s interest is to work together with local health care service providers in finding solutions to maintain access to quality medical care,” the release said.
The signing of the agreement comes at an opportune moment for MHF, which is also celebrating Nurses Week.
“The hardworking nurses and support staff of the MHF will now be able to look forward to a long-overdue salary adjustment. For SZV, the signing of the agreement is timely, in light of SZV’s May health awareness month theme: Mental Health. The MHF is an important stakeholder in providing the necessary care for residents with mental health care needs,” it was stated in the release.
Quality indicators and operations will be reviewed by MHF and SZV on an annual basis. The budget allocation review will take place every two years.
MHF presently employs 43 staff members. In support of the established quality indicators and nursing staff, MHF is confident that the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Affairs VSA will soon approve permits for an urgently-needed psychiatrist for St. Maarten.
