Nov, 01, 2024

State Health Updates

  • Delaware – The Bureau of Oral Health and Dental Services (BOHDS) launched the Kindergarten Oral Health Screening Program. In partnership with the Delaware Department of Education and school nurses, BOHDS facilitates all screenings and students receive a toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, dental resource guide, and the dental screening results to take home. The program was created with the passage of House Bill 83, which requires every public school and charter school to give a dental screening to students in kindergarten by the last day of the school year starting during the 2024-2025 school year.
  • Michigan – The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) is seeking proposals for substance-use disorder treatment and recovery transportation services. A total of $1.2 million is available, with a maximum award of $200,000 per grantee. MDHHS anticipates issuing up to six awards. Funding is being made available through the Michigan Opioid Healing and Recovery Fund.
  • New Mexico –  The New Mexico Health Care Authority announced the launch of the Mobile Crisis Team (MCT) Academy, a free training webinar for existing and emerging MCT providers in New Mexico. The two-day, virtual training will be offered quarterly and address several topics including: the role of MCTs within the crisis continuum, engagement with special populations, risk and intervention assessment, and verbal de-escalation techniques. 
  • North Carolina
    • Governor Roy Cooper signed into law a bill to provide $604 million for Hurricane Helene disaster relief, with $71.4 million dedicated to supporting local health departments, mental health services, disaster nutrition assistance and childcare, among other health-related measures. The bill comes after lawmakers passed $273 million in relief in early October.
    • The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services announced $5 million to help providers build capacity and implement the Collaborative Care Model in primary care offices across the state. Through the Collaborative Care Model, primary care providers work with an integrated behavioral health case manager and a psychiatric consultant to monitor and treat patients for mild to moderate behavioral health conditions. Collaborative Care is covered by NC Medicaid, Medicare and most commercial insurance plans in North Carolina.
  • North Dakota – North Dakota Health and Human Services launched a new Immunization Locator tool and Respiratory Illness Dashboard. North Dakotans can select one or multiple immunizations and look at a specific area in the state to find both immunization providers and immunizations available near them. North Dakotans can also keep up to date on the impact of respiratory illnesses in the state: the Dashboard combines data for flu, RSV, and COVID-19. 
  • Oregon – The Oregon Health Authority and coordinated care organizations this month awarded a combined $37 million to community organizations across the state to help support the delivery of health-related social needs benefits to eligible Medicaid members. The Community Capacity Building Funds will support health providers and organizations to develop what they need to be able to participate in the Medicaid delivery system.
  • Rhode Island – General Treasurer James A. Diossa announced a partnership with Undue Medical Debt, creating a medical debt relief program funded with $1 million previously appropriated in the state’s fiscal year 2025 budget. SHVS has updated our expert perspective tracking state initiatives to cancel medical debt and/or prohibit medical debt reporting to credit agencies.
  • Wisconsin – CMS approved a five-year extension of Wisconsin’s section 1115 demonstration, “Wisconsin BadgerCare Reform.” Wisconsin received renewed authority to (1) provide substance-use disorder benefits to cover short-term residential services in facilities that qualify as institutions for mental diseases; (2) provide coverage to out-of-state former foster care youth up to 26 years of age, who were enrolled in Medicaid in another state and turned 18 on or before December 31, 2022; and (3) extend coverage to non-pregnant, non-disabled, non-elderly childless adults with incomes of up to 100% of the federal poverty level.
  • Oregon and Washington – The Oregon Secretary of State Audits Division, the Office of the Washington State Auditor, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, released a report examining Medicaid concurrent enrollment in Oregon and Washington. The audit is the first joint state effort to analyze Medicaid data around concurrent enrollment. The reports detailing the findings are available from the Oregon Secretary of State and Washington State Auditor.