Aug, 23, 2024

State Health Updates

  • Arkansas – The Arkansas Department of Human Services launched an educational campaign to raise public awareness about the availability of home and community-based services (HCBS) for Medicaid enrollees. At the center of this campaign, a new website, ar.gov/HCBS, offers information about the specific HCBS programs and services available, who they are designed to benefit, what they provide, and how to apply for them.
  • Colorado – The Colorado Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) and 988 Crisis Hotline Enterprise Board announced the launch of a campaign to increase awareness and utilization of the 988 Colorado Mental Health line. To inform the marketing campaign, BHA conducted research with youth, adults and behavioral health referrers to provide feedback on the proposed messaging, website and creative directions.
  • Massachusetts – The Healey-Driscoll administration announced $3.75 million in grants to 18 grassroots organizations to reduce the harms caused by the opioid epidemic in communities disproportionately impacted by overdose deaths. The grants are the first to be awarded through the Mosaic Opioid Recovery Partnership, a new grantmaking program designed to support communities that have historically experienced a high rate of opioid-related overdose deaths.
  • New Jersey – Governor Phil Murphy announced that the state is eliminating $100 million in medical debt for approximately 50,000 residents by leveraging over $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds. Eligible residents include those with incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level or those with medical debt equal to 5% or more of their annual income. This effort is part of the $10 million appropriation included in the 2024 state budget for medical debt cancellation. For more information on state efforts to cancel medical debt, see a recent Health Affairs Forefront article and the SHVS expert perspective which tracks state cancellation efforts and prohibitions on medical debt reporting.
  • New Mexico – The New Mexico Health Care Authority announced the appointments of three new division directors. Jennifer Rodriguez will lead the Developmental Disability Supports Division; Dan Lanari will head the Division of Health Improvement; and Colin Baillio will direct Health Care Coverage Innovations. Congratulations to the team!
  • New York – Governor Kathy Hochul announced nearly $40 million has been awarded for the next phase of the Youth Employment Program, which aims to reduce gun violence by providing job opportunities and training to at-risk youth in communities across the state. The effort is part of New York’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative.
  • North Dakota – North Dakota Health and Human Services announced the continuation of the Behavioral Health School Grant program for the 2024-2025 school year. This program is funded through an appropriation of $9.5 million from the 2023 legislative session. In the 2023-2024 school year, eligible school districts and special education units applied for grant funds totaling over $2.7 million for direct services, curriculum, and professional development, with over $1.9 million specifically directed towards behavioral health services for students.
  • Rhode Island – Governor Dan McKee signed into law a healthcare legislative package which includes protections such as the prohibition of medical debt reporting to credit bureaus, increasing access to mental health support, and enhancing the healthcare workforce.
  • Vermont – Governor Phil Scott and Human Services Secretary Jenney Samuelson announced the appointment of DaShawn Groves as the new Commissioner of the Department of Vermont Health Access, which is responsible for administering the Vermont Medicaid program and Vermont Health Connect, the state’s health insurance Marketplace. Groves most recently worked as the Special Projects Officer to the Medicaid Director at the Department of Health Care Finance for the District of Columbia. Congratulations DaShawn!