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Health department authorizes clinical and program partnerships, including toxicology screening agreement
Summary
The committee authorized contracting with Quest Diagnostics for toxicology screening as a therapeutic tool, approved continued contracting with Highmark, and supported participation in state program waivers and OMH quality collaboratives.
The Columbia County Health and Human Services Committee on March 18 approved multiple program and clinical contracting authorizations presented by county health staff.
The committee authorized the public health director to enter a contract with Quest Diagnostics to provide toxicology screening for clients served by county programs. County staff said testing would be used selectively as a therapeutic tool — with informed consent included in intake materials — to inform treatment and medication management. The department said tests would be billed to insurance when available and would not create an out-of-pocket county charge for testing supplies.
Committee members asked whether screening would be contingent on service eligibility; staff answered that consent is included at intake and testing is presented as a therapeutic, not punitive, tool. The department said it is updating an older toxicology policy and will reintroduce operational guidance to caseworkers and prescribers.
The committee also approved a contract to continue working with Healthy Alliance for elements of the federal/state 11-15 Medicaid waiver (the item was described as county participation to operationalize components of the waiver), and authorized continued contracting with the commercial insurer Highmark. Members approved participation in a University Office of Mental Health quality improvement collaborative that the county expects will yield a modest increase in Medicaid reimbursement rates for participating providers.
Committee members asked staff to ensure privacy protections, informed consent and clear policy guidance before reintroducing toxicology testing to routine practice. The committee approved the presented authorizations without recorded dissent.
The health department said the contractual steps support several aims: documenting social determinants of health screening activity tied to Medicaid waiver reimbursement opportunities, ensuring laboratory access for clinical decision-making and aligning behavioral-health participation with state quality-improvement incentives.
