Aug, 26, 2022

State Health Updates

  • Alabama – The Alabama Medicaid Agency will provide a COVID-19 public health emergency update for Medicaid providers and partners on September 15, 2022. Agency representatives will share how the Agency is preparing for the end of the PHE and the return to normal operations. The meeting is offered for attendees both in-person or virtual (online or by phone).
  • California – The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) released a request for information (RFI) for a new mobile crisis services benefit in the state Medicaid plan. The RFI invites potentially interested vendors to provide DHCS with information about training for, and implementation of, mobile crisis services. Responses are due by September 2, 2022. DHCS intends to submit a Medicaid state plan amendment to add qualifying community-based mobile crisis intervention services as a new benefit for Medi-Cal.
  • Colorado – The Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) released a set of animated videos to help individuals understand their rights under a new rule that codifies federal standards for home and community-based services. The videos are available as a set through a YouTube playlist and are also avaliable in Spanish. The Department has developed a resource sheet to accompany the videos.
  • Connecticut – Access Health CT, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, announced it received a silver award in the Digital Health Awards—a national program recognizing the best online health resources for both consumers and professionals. These awards are organized by the Health Information Resource Center, a national clearinghouse in consumer health fields.
  • Indiana – The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Division of Mental Health and Addiction announced the launch of a pilot program designed to engage incarcerated individuals with mental health and substance use disorders with certified peer professionals and wraparound services. The Integrated Reentry and Correctional Support program provides peer-driven support for inmates with mental health and substance use disorders upon arrival at one of the five Indiana county jail pilot sites.
  • Michigan – The Office of Policy and Planning at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced the formation of the Community Information Exchange task (CIE) force. CIE builds the technology and relationships required to address the social needs like food, housing and education for people and their communities. This task force will develop a statewide plan for CIE guided by the notion that data sharing between healthcare and social service providers is critical to improving comprehensive care and achieving health equity.
  • Nevada – The Nevada Legislative Interim Finance Committee (IFC) approved more than $45 million in proposals using American Rescue Plan Act funding to support Nevada’s Children’s System of Care. The funding approved by IFC will help to build a System of Care to intervene earlier and provide care in an appropriate setting.
  • Wisconsin – The Wisconsin Department of Health Services opened the first round of applications for $30 million in grant funding to support home and community-based services (HCBS). Grant awards will range from ,000 to million. Successful applications will benefit people who use HCBS and their families or providers of HCBS and their employees, including projects that strengthen the HCBS system and support quality and innovation in the delivery of services in Wisconsin.