(Business Wire)  Amerigroup Community Care, the state’s care management leader for Foster Care, Adoption Assistance and Juvenile Justice, was selected to present at the 28^th Annual Children’s Mental Health Research and Policy Conference in Tampa, Fla. The conference, which takes place March 22-25, promotes the expansion of improved service systems for children with mental health challenges and their families.

In March 2014, Amerigroup was designated by the state of Georgia as the single Managed Care Organization (MCO) responsible for coordinating the care of children in foster care, children receiving adoption assistance and select youth in the juvenile justice system. The Georgia Families 360° program provides an innovative approach to serving this vulnerable population and delivers holistic care coordination to youth with complex needs.

Amerigroup will also present a case study for their Coaching and Comprehensive Health Supports (COACHES) Project¹, which is a partnership with Families First. The COACHES project is designed to improve health outcomes for young adults, aged 17-20, who are about to transition out of foster care.

Both programs were selected through a competitive proposal submission process and based on relevancy to the conference.

“I am encouraged by the work Amerigroup and the Georgia Families 360° program has been able to accomplish over the last year, and more recently with the COACHES project,” said Fran Gary, plan president, Amerigroup. “We are honored to present both programs to some of the leading behavioral health experts in the country.”

Since 1988, the Department of Child and Family Studies at the University of South Florida has been a leader in promoting improved service systems for children and youth with mental health challenges and their families. Each year the conference brings together more than 500 researchers, evaluators, policy-makers, administrators, parents, and advocates to share dialogue about important issues such as health, education and welfare, share new knowledge, and identify challenges that remain for the field.

About Amerigroup Georgia

Amerigroup Georgia helps improve health care access and quality for more than 355,000 low-income Georgians by developing innovative care management programs and services. Members are assured care that is not only accessible, but also accountable, comprehensive, integrated and patient-centered. Amerigroup Georgia provides ongoing community relations and outreach to encourage members to become active participants in their health care. Through health education programs, members are empowered to choose and sustain a healthy lifestyle.

1-The project described was supported by Grant Number 1C1CMS331323 from the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or any of its agencies.