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HHS Takes Action to Provide 12 Months of Mandatory Continuous Coverage for Children in Medicaid and CHIP
On Friday, as part of its ongoing work to make sure all Americans have access to health care coverage, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), sent a letter to state health officials reinforcing that states must provide 12 months of continuous coverage for children under the age of 19 on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) beginning January 1, 2024. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to using every available lever to protect and expand coverage for children. Today’s action will help to ensure that eligible children enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP have uninterrupted coverage over the course of a year, helping children maintain access to the health care services they need to thrive. Read more here.
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A Third of Medicaid Recipients With Opioid Use Disorder Aren’t Getting Medication to Treat It
More than half a million Medicaid recipients diagnosed with opioid use disorder did not receive medication to treat it in 2021, according to a new report released Friday by the inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services. The report, which examined the use of addiction treatments that almost all Medicaid programs are now required to cover, also found major disparities in medication rates across states, ages and racial groups. It said the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, an agency of the Health and Human Services Department, should work to close the gaps. Read more here.
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Medicaid Value-Based Payment Reform Linked to Reduced Mental Health ER Visits
State Medicaid programs are increasingly overhauling
payment structures in favor of value-based payment systems. A new report suggests that value-based payment reform may decrease mental health emergency room visits. Value-based payment strategies reward providers and health plans with incentive payments for the quality, rather than quantity, of care provided to patients. A new study published in the JAMA Health Forum found that Medicaid value-based payment reform was associated with increased behavioral health visits. Read more here.
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New York Pharmacists and Pharmacies Applaud Six-Month Anniversary of NYS Medicaid Pharmacy Benefit Expansion
On April 1, 2023, New York State implemented a major reform to its Medicaid pharmacy program, known as NYRx. This shift has greatly improved access to pharmacy care for its residents and is saving the State millions of dollars by no longer paying health plans and pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) to administer the program. The Pharmacists Society of the State of New York (PSSNY), the Community Pharmacy Association of New York State (CPANYS) and the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) released a joint statement on Tuesday on the six-month anniversary of the transition. Read more here.
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Policy Brief: Supporting Individuals with Complex Needs: Care Delivery that Provides the Right Services and Supports in the Right Settings
A new policy brief from the Rockefeller Institute of Government and the Step Two Policy Project explores emerging models of care for individuals with complex medical, behavioral, and social needs. Existing care delivery systems struggle to efficiently provide the integrated care these individuals need resulting in poorer outcomes for patients and higher costs of care. The brief provides an overview of the challenges of caring for people with complex needs, highlights why this issue is important for policymakers, presents innovative models of care delivery being pursued by providers in New York, and details the policy and research needs to improve integrated care. Read more here.
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NIH Launches Community-Led Research Program to Advance Health Equity
The National Institutes of Health is funding a first-of-its-kind community-led research program to study ways to address the underlying structural factors within communities that affect health, such as access to safe spaces, healthy food, employment opportunities, transportation, and quality health care. Through the NIH Common Fund Community Partnerships to Advance Science for Society (ComPASS) program, NIH made 26 awards to community organizations and a coordinating center, totaling approximately $171 million over five years, pending the availability of funds. Through these awards, ComPASS will enable research into sustainable solutions that promote health equity to create lasting change in communities across the nation.
Read more here.
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20% of Primary Care Providers Say They’re Incentivized for Behavioral Health Care
The majority of primary care clinicians say they want to provide more behavioral health care but need additional training tools and resources. This comes as more providers and payers emphasize the benefits of primary and behavioral health care integration. Nearly 40% of primary care providers (PCPs) are screening patients for behavioral health conditions, according to a new report from The Advisory Board, which included survey responses from 300 PCPs. While the bulk of providers surveyed said the increase in screening is due to more patients presenting behavioral health concerns, only 20% of clinicians are incentivized for behavioral health screenings. Authors of the report note that when a provider is incentivized or reimbursed for the screenings, they are more likely to incorporate them into their practice. Read more here.
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How a Behavioral Health Center Uses HIE to Drive Patient-Centered Care
When Connecticut launched its statewide health information exchange (HIE) in 2021, United Services, a behavioral health center serving the eastern part of the state, was an inaugural member. According to Zachary Dauphinais, MS, clinical informatics manager at United Services, connecting to the HIE was a no-brainer. "Our philosophy has always been that mental health care is healthcare," Dauphinais told EHRIntelligence in an interview. "Mental health impacts physical health, and physical health impacts mental health." For instance, depression increases the risk of many types of physical health problems, such as diabetes, and people with chronic conditions are at higher risk of depression. What's more, Dauphinais noted that many medications used to treat physical health conditions are also used to treat mental health conditions, underscoring the need for longitudinal patient records to support patient safety. Read more here.
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Medicaid and Housing Toolkit: State Strategies to Support Housing-Related Services
States across the nation are facing a housing crisis — a longstanding problem that’s only been exacerbated by the pandemic. States can leverage a variety of Medicaid authorities, including state plans, waivers, and managed care arrangements, to cover housing-related services for Medicaid beneficiaries. A new toolkit provides details on how 18 states are supporting housing programs under Medicaid, including Medicaid authorities, populations served, services covered, and reimbursement approaches. Read more here.
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OPWDD Kicks Off National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)
The Office for People With Developmental Disabilities is excited to kick off National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) by sponsoring and participating in New York State’s Disability Rights and Employment Awareness Month (DREAM) Symposium. For the second year in a row, this first-of-its-kind day-long symposium, created by Governor Kathy Hochul and Chief Disability Officer Kim Hill Ridley, celebrates the value that New Yorkers with disabilities bring to the workforce and assists in matching prospective qualified candidates with employers. As the state agency whose mission is to help people with developmental disabilities live richer lives, OPWDD is committed to helping people who are able to work prepare for and find employment. That’s why we are so pleased to announce the launch of a new virtual training for New York employers called “EmployAbility: Benefits of Hiring People with Disabilities." Read more here.
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The Chatbot As Clinician Challenge
I’m not as worried about artificial intelligence or augmented intelligence (AI) as most of my friends and colleagues. First, there are many benefits to be derived from applying this new technology to the management and delivery of health care services—improved care access, reduced administrative costs, and better clinical decision support to name a few. And like all new technologies, society and government need to set the stage for maximizing benefits and minimizing the negative effects. My point is that ‘unscrupulous’ actors already have plenty of access to technology and databases. There’s already a long list of technical abuses—like Pegasus or Russian troll farms or Chinese facial recognition software. Another issue is that AI-infused chatbots are a long way from replacing humans. But just because chatbots are not well developed at this point, doesn’t mean they won’t become more useful and more widespread in the health and human service field. Read more here.
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UPCOMING EVENTS & TRAININGS
Medicare 501: New Engagement Opportunities for Community Behavioral Health Centers With Counselors and MFTs Under Medicare
October 5, 12 - 1 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Behavioral Health Quality Trends Affecting Payers
October 5, 12 - 1 pm, PsychU
The Legal, Regulatory and Market Trends Transforming Health Care
October 5, 12:30 - 1:30 pm, Manatt Health
Introduction to PSYCKES
October 5, 1 - 2 pm, OMH
Quality Measurement in Crisis Services
October 5, 2 - 3 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Aligning Eligibility Criteria for Housing and Housing Related Services – Lessons Learned from Washington State’s Apple Health and Home Program
October 6, 1 - 2:30 pm, CSH
Achieving Data Integrity through Technology Data Governance
October 10, 1 - 2 pm, HMA
Creating Accountability through Data: From Racism and Neglect to Accountability and Repair
October 10, 2 - 3:30 pm, National Health Equity Grand Rounds
The Impact Of Adherence In Patients With Bipolar I Disorder
October 11, 12 - 1 pm, PsychU
LGBTQ+ Young People and Suicide – Tackling the Crisis Together
October 12, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Central City Concern: Providing Access to Harm Reduction Services for People Experiencing Homelessness
October 12, 3 - 4:15 pm, Better Care Playbook Implementation Lab
Exploring Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Trauma, Trends & Diagnostic Insights
October 16, 12 - 1 pm, PsychU
Stepping Up and Elevating the Voices of People with Lived Experience
October 17, 1 - 2:30 pm, CSG Justice Center
PSYCKES for Health Homes and Care Management Agencies
October 17, 3 - 4:30 pm, OMH
Gun Violence Prevention and Medicaid: State of the Field
October 18, 3 - 4:30 pm, Center for Healthcare Strategies
Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy (NECT): An Evidence-Based Intervention Designed to Reduce Self-Stigma in Adults with Mental Health Challenges
October 19, 10 am - 12 pm, CTAC/MTAC
A Family-Centered Approach to Implementing Plans of Safe Care
October 19, 2 - 3 pm, NCSAC
Key Takeaways: Survey Of 4,000 Health Plans On Behavioral Health’s Future
October 24, 12 - 1 pm, PsychU
Rewiring Your Life
October 25, 3 - 4 pm, NAADAC
Narrative Enhancement and Cognitive Therapy (NECT): Adaptations for Youth and Caregivers Impacted by Mental Health Challenges
October 26, 10 am - 12 pm, CTAC/MCTAC
Emerging Care Models: The Transformative Potential of Sobering Centers
October 26, 1 - 2 pm, National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Peer Recovery Support Series, Part 9: Supporting Recovery - Who’s Who at the Zoo?
October 26, 3 - 4 pm, NAADAC
Utilizing Family Engagement to Improve Outcomes in Drug Treatment Courts: In Research and Practice
October 30, 12:30 - 2 pm, SAMHSA's GAINS Center
Cost and Financing Strategies for Coordinated Specialty Care for First Episode Psychosis
October 30, 2 - 3 pm, SAMHSA
Using the PSYCKES Clinical Summary
November 1, 10 - 11:30 am, OMH
Lived Expertise and Data Management: Trauma-Informed Approaches and Perspectives
November 9, 2 - 3 pm, CSH
PSYCKES Mobile App for iPhones & iPads
November 14, 11 am - 12 pm, OMH
Navigating PSYCKES Recipient Search for Population Health
November 30, 3 - 4 pm, OMH
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CLMHD CALENDAR
OCTOBER
AOT Coordinators Call
October 6: 10 - 11:30 am
CLMHD Office Closed - Columbus Day
October 9
LGU Clinic Operators Call
October 10: 10 - 11:30 am
Addiction Services & Supports (ASR) Committee Meeting
October 12: 11 am - 12 pm
Mental Health Committee Meeting
October 12: 3 - 4 pm
Membership Call
October 18: 9 - 10:30 am
Mental Hygiene Planning Committee Meeting
October 19: 1 - 2:30 pm
Deputy DCS Call
October 24: 10 - 11 am
Fall 2023 Full Membership Meeting
October 25 - 27, Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel
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