Primary Purpose
The grant’s primary purpose was to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of developing and implementing a comprehensive system of community services and supports under a Section (§) 1915(c) waiver for children with serious emotional disturbance (SED) who would otherwise require care in a psychiatric residential treatment facility.
The grant was awarded to the Missouri Department of Mental Health.
Results
The State will not be able to implement the comprehensive system described above because it has determined that it cannot meet the cost-neutrality requirements of a §1915(c) waiver.
Lessons Learned and Recommendations -
HIPAA requirements regarding the sharing of personal health care information made it difficult to create a children’s data warehouse. The State has elected to pursue a system that will focus on aggregate data supplied by state agencies to inform policy and budget development.
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CMS should amend the recent guidance regarding cost-neutrality for §1915(c) waivers, which severely restricts the costs that may be used (i.e., only inpatient hospital services) to offset the cost of home and community-based services. This requirement makes it difficult for states to achieve the cost-neutrality needed to provide psychiatric waiver services in the community to youth under age 21.
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CMS should strengthen the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) screening requirements related to children’s mental health needs by increasing the indicators of mental health and substance abuse issues or by mandating that physicians assess these issues.
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Congress should amend Medicaid law to allow coverage for services in Institutions for Mental Diseases.
Products
Grant staff produced a report: Children in State Custody Solely for Mental Health Needs and More Comprehensive Strategies for System of Care Development. It includes an analysis of state expenditures for children’s services, including expenditures per child before and after entering state custody. The report also outlines the pros and cons of expanding the State Plan rehabilitation option, pursuing a §1915(c) or a §1115 waiver, and implementing the Voluntary Placement Option under Title IVE within the State. This document provides a blueprint for the development of additional children’s community-based mental health services and makes recommendations to the State to expand home and community-based services for children with SED.
Texas Primary Purpose
The grant’s primary purpose was to explore the feasibility of providing community-based treatment for children with severe emotional disturbance (SED) who are at risk of entering psychiatric hospitals for treatment.
The grant was awarded to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. CommunityTIES of America, Inc., was a subcontractor on the grant.
Results
Results of the feasibility study showed that the State could consider implementing a Section (§) 1915(c) waiver to provide a flexible array of services and supports for children with SED as an alternative to inpatient psychiatric care. The State subsequently applied for a psychiatric residential treatment facility (PRTF) waiver demonstration grant program but did not receive one.
The Commission, in collaboration with the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), developed and submitted a §1915(c) waiver application in June 2008 to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. If approved, Youth Empowerment Services, the new waiver program, will provide home and community-based services (HCBS) for children with SED as an alternative to a hospital level of care. The waiver program was developed by DSHS with the assistance of a contractor to determine its cost neutrality.
Lessons Learned and Recommendations
Section 1915(c) waivers are potentially valuable strategies for providing home and community-based services to children with severe emotional disturbance, particularly in states where children have long stays in Medicaid-funded psychiatric inpatient facilities and/or high recidivism rates due to a lack of community services and supports.
However, the §1915(c) waiver authority was not designed to serve individuals with mental health needs. Developing a §1915(c) waiver program requires much time, effort, and stakeholder involvement to ensure that it will meet the needs of children with severe emotional disturbance. States considering whether to use a §1915(c) waiver program for this population need to develop the infrastructure to provides services and supports through the waiver. If the waiver will be implemented in the mental health system, its staff will need to develop the appropriate expertise to design and administer the waiver program.
Products
The Grantee and its subcontractor, CommunityTIES, Inc., produced three reports: (1) A Feasibility Study of Options for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances; (2) an Implementation Report for the §1915(c) HCBS waiver option; and (3) a Final Report that summarizes the first two reports. These reports analyze how a waiver would operate and provide an overview of data on the current costs of institutional services. Together the reports provide stakeholders and policy makers with good basic information and a common point of reference for discussions regarding future program development.
Real Choice Systems Change Grants for Community Living
Reports on the FY 2003 Grantees I. Formative Research Reports Real Choice Systems Change Grant Program: Third Year Report
This report describes the FY 2002 and FY 2003 Grantees’ accomplishments and progress, using information provided by the Grantees during the reporting period October 1, 2003, to September 30, 2004. The report summarizes findings from the Year Two annual reports of the 49 FY 2002 Systems Change Grantees and the Year One annual reports of the 48 FY 2003 Grantees. Data from the 9 FY 2003 Family to Family Health Care Information Center Grantees’ Year One annual reports and the 16 FY 2003 Feasibility Grantees’ Year One annual reports were also analyzed and included. The report presents examples of Grantees’ activities in four areas of systems change: (1) access to long-term services and supports; (2) services, supports, and housing; (3) administrative and monitoring infrastructure; and (4) long-term services and supports workforce. For each of the focus areas the report describes Grantees’ accomplishments, illustrates the challenges, and discusses consumers’ roles in the implementation and evaluation of activities. Available at: http://www.hcbs.org/moreInfo.php/doc/1363.
Real Choice Systems Change Grant Program: Fourth Year Report
This report describes the FY 2003 and FY 2004 Grantees’ accomplishments and progress, using information provided by the Grantees during the reporting period October 1, 2004, to September 30, 2005. The report summarizes findings from the Year Two annual reports of the 48 FY 2003 Grantees, the Year One annual reports of the 42 FY 2004 Grantees, and the Year Two and Year One annual reports of the 9 FY 2003 and 10 FY 2004 Family to Family Health Care Information Center Grantees, respectively. Data from the 16 FY 2003 Feasibility Grantees’ Year Two annual reports were also analyzed and included. The report describes grant activities in three major long-term services and supports systems areas: (1) access to long-term services and supports; (2) services, supports, and housing; and (3) administrative and monitoring infrastructure. For each of the focus areas the report describes Grantees’ accomplishments, illustrates the challenges, and discusses consumers’ roles in the implementation and evaluation of activities. Available at: http://www.hcbs.org/moreInfo.php/doc/1668.
II. Topic Papers Real Choice Systems Change Grant Program: Activities and Accomplishments of the Family to Family Health Care Information and Education Center Grantees
This report describes the activities of the 19 Grantees funded in fiscal years 2003 and 2004 by CMS and 6 Grantees funded in fiscal year 2002 by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau. Family to Family Health Information Centers assist families of children with special health care needs. This paper describes grant implementation challenges and accomplishments, and provides information that states and stakeholders will find useful when planning or implementing similar initiatives. Available at: http://www.hcbs.org/moreInfo.php/doc/1570.
Real Choice Systems Change Grant Program: Money Follows the Person Initiatives of the Systems Change Grantees
This report highlights the work of 9 CMS Money Follows the Person (MFP) Grantees, with a focus on Texas and Wisconsin. The report describes the initiatives, and discusses policy and design factors states should consider when developing MFP programs, including developing legislation and budget mechanisms for making transfers of funds, ensuring availability of services and housing, identifying potential consumers for transition, developing nursing facility transition infrastructure, and monitoring and quality assurance. Available at: http://www.hcbs.org/moreInfo.php/doc/1667.
Real Choice Systems Change Grant Program: Increasing Options for Self-Directed Services: Initiatives of the FY 2003 Independence Plus Grantees
This report describes the activities of 12 Grantees that received Independence Plus grants in FY 2003 and used them to increase self-directed services options for persons of all ages with disabilities or chronic illnesses. Grantees encountered a range of issues while implementing the grant projects. This report provides information for states and stakeholders planning, implementing, or expanding self-direction programs, whether through solely state-funded programs or the Medicaid program. Available at: http://ww.hcbs.org/moreInfo.php/doc/2134.
Real Choice Systems Change Grant Program: Improving Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement Systems for Home and Community-Based Services: Experience of the FY 2003 and FY 2004 Grantees
The purpose of this report is to inform the efforts of states that are trying to develop and improve QA/QI systems by describing and analyzing how selected Systems Change Grantees went through this process. Nine out of the 28 states with QA/QI grants were selected for detailed analyses for this report. These states used their grants to improve QA/QI systems for individuals of all ages with various disabilities. The initiatives examined fall into six categories: administrative technology and information technology, standards for services, discovery, remediation, workforce, and public information. Available at: http://www.hcbs.org/moreInfo.php/doc/2397.
III. Summaries
This document provides a 6- to 8-page summary of the grant applications for each FY 2003 Research and Development Grantee. The 48 grants are grouped in the following categories: Community-Integrated Personal Assistance Services and Supports Grants, Independence Plus Initiative, Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Initiative, and Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement in Home and Community Based Services. Available at: http://www.hcbs.org/files/35/1725/2003_FINAL_Summaries.doc.
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