Psychiatric Disabilities/Mental Illness

A new article from the Centers for Health Care Strategies explores a new effort to improve and align care across California Medicaid. The article explores racial disparities in access to and quality of LTSS, integration of dually eligible individuals, and more.

ADvancing States is pleased to announce the release of a new report, Advancing Equity through MLTSS Programs, co-authored with Impact 120. This report highlights the numerous ways that managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) programs can enhance state capacity to create more equitable programs for consumers. Research and interviews identified five key themes, which are explored in detail with recommendations for future action.

This article presents case studies from different global regions to illustrate how disabilities are often overlooked in responding to climate-related health impacts and disaster planning. Health Affairs draws particular attention to mutual aid networks led by people with disabilities in adapting to climate-related health impacts and makes suggestions policy makers and practitioners can use to integrate disability justice into their work.

The AHRQ Academy has released a new guide on health equity and behavioral health integration designed to help practices reduce health disparities and advance health equity by promoting belonging, dignity and justice for providers and patients from marginalized groups. The AHRQ Academy aims to support the integration of behavioral health into primary and ambulatory care settings with a focus on providing care for patients using substances, particularly opioids, and for those with mental health conditions. This guide provides tools and resources for addressing economic and social inequities, bias, discrimination and racism.

Applied Self-Direction is accepting session proposals for the 2023 Self-Direction Conference: Virtual Series happening this spring. Sessions should focus on best practices and innovations related to self-direction and include a range of perspectives including state program staff, people and families who self-direct, Financial Management Services providers, support brokers, and policymakers.

People with disabilities are especially vulnerable to the impacts of disasters. To help policymakers understand the need to include people with disabilities in emergency disaster plans, Mathematica researchers created interactive disability natural disaster maps that show how many people with disabilities are living in areas at higher risk of natural disasters.

ACL is announcing a new grant award to develop a NTAC. The grant of $485,000 over a one-year period has been awarded to the Community Transportation Association of America (CTAA), which will be partnering with the UMass Boston Institute for Community Inclusion, USAging, and DJB Consulting. NTAC also will work closely with people who need or use transportation services, the transportation sector, and an array of national, state and local organizations throughout the country. This award seeks to expand access to transportation for people with disabilities and older adults by increasing awareness and adoption of transportation accessibility strategies, inclusive planning, and mobility on demand transportation systems.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through CMS, awarded approximately $25 million in planning grants to five new states and territories to expand access to home and community-based services through Medicaid’s Money Follows the Person (MFP) demonstration program. With these awards, 41 states and territories across the country will now participate in MFP. Awards of up to $5 million have been granted to Illinois, Kansas, and New Hampshire, as well as for American Samoa and Puerto Rico. This is the first time MFP grants have been made available to territories. These awards will support the early planning phase for their MFP programs.

On Monday, August 22, 2022 CMS released the Money Follows the Person (MFP): Updated State Transitions annual report for calendar years 2017 to 2020. The MFP demonstration, established by Congress through the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, enables state Medicaid programs to help Medicaid beneficiaries who live in institutions transition into the community, and gives people with disabilities and older adults more choice in deciding where to live and to receive long-term services and supports. From the time transitions began in 2008 to the end of 2020, states had transitioned 107,128 people to community living through MFP. The brief shows how MFP transitions varied by state and target population over time.

This CMCS informational bulletin provides an update on the 2022 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Spousal Impoverishment Standards. Certain Medicaid income and resource standards are adjusted annually in accordance with changes in the SSI federal benefit rate (FBR) and the Consumer Price Index (CPI). These include some of the standards described in section 1924 of the Social Security Act, which describes the financial eligibility rules that apply when married individuals seek coverage of certain long-term services and supports. Included with this informational bulletin is the revised 2022 SSI and Spousal Impoverishment Standards chart that displays the updated MMMNA and Community Spouse Monthly Housing Allowances.