Physical and Behavioral Health Integration
FEATURED TOOLKIT
Intervention, Treatment, and Prevention Strategies to Address Opioid Use Disorders in Rural Areas
/in Policy North Carolina Reports Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Health Coverage and Access, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration /by Chiara Corso and Charles TownleyA Primer on Opportunities for Medicaid-Safety Net Collaboration The prevalence of substance abuse disorders in the United States has increased dramatically in the past 15 years with catastrophic consequences, especially in rural regions of the United States. Deaths and injuries from illegal opioid and heroin use are more prevalent in rural states, and death from […]
State Financing and Delivery Innovations to Address Disparities in Uncontrolled Childhood Asthma
/in Policy Charts Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health /by Taylor Kniffin and Felicia HeiderThe high prevalence of uncontrolled asthma among child populations served by Medicaid programs and the associated rising costs often are the impetus for states to improve the quality of care provided to children with asthma. New opportunities to comprehensively address asthma and its triggers are emerging through state and national health care delivery system and […]
Chronic Pain Management Therapies in Medicaid: Policy Considerations for Non-Pharmacological Alternatives to Opioids
/in Policy Reports Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Health Coverage and Access, Long-Term Care, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration /by Hannah Dorr and Charles TownleyAlthough most Medicaid agencies cover services that can be used as alternatives to opioids for pain management, significantly fewer states have policies or procedures in place to encourage their use. Between March and June 2016, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) conducted a survey of all 51 Medicaid agencies to determine the extent […]
Congress Passes CARA, States to Strengthen Infrastructure and Provider Capacity to Address Opioid Abuse
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration /by Charles TownleyCongress passed the final version of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (CARA) on July 13. Major provisions within CARA will expand access to overdose rescue medication (naloxone) and medication-assisted treatment of opioid use disorders. CARA authorizes or reauthorizes a number of grant programs for states to build infrastructure and provider capacity to […]
Growing Number of States Enacting Laws to Combat the Heroin and Opioid Crisis
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Health Coverage and Access, Medicaid Expansion, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health /by NASHP StaffSince the beginning of 2016, several states have passed legislation aimed at curbing the opioid and heroin epidemic. NASHP has been following this legislation closely and has developed a series of blogs outlining major provisions within the laws. Rhode Island Becomes the Latest State to Pass Opioid Legislation in 2016 New York Joins State-Led Fight to Combat Opioid […]
Rhode Island Becomes the Latest State to Pass Opioid Legislation in 2016
/in Policy Rhode Island Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health System Costs, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Quality and Measurement /by Charles TownleyOn June 28, 2016, Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo signed a series of bills to address opioid misuse and abuse in the state. Rhode Island is the most recent New England State to pass such legislation this year; the regional trend began in Massachusetts when Governor Baker signed omnibus legislation back in March. A summary […]
New York Joins State-Led Fight to Combat Opioid Crisis, Passes New Legislation
/in Policy New York Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Essential Health Benefits, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal Health and Mortality, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health /by Charles TownleyOn June 22, 2016, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a package of seven bills related to opioids and treatment for opioid addiction. The legislation, which includes recommendations from the governor’s Heroin and Opioid Task Force, is aimed at combatting the heroin and opioid crisis affecting the state. The state’s FY2017 budget includes nearly $200 […]
Enhancing Care Quality for Medicaid Beneficiaries Living with HIV/AIDS: New NASHP Case Studies
/in Policy New York, Wisconsin Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Essential Health Benefits, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, HIV/AIDS, Long-Term Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health /by Chiara Corso and Rachel DonlonNASHP has written two case studies for HealthHIV’s Three D HIV Prevention Program, which is supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and provides technical assistance to better inform programmatic decisions impacting the delivery of quality HIV prevention and treatment services: New York’s experience implementing performance metrics for the HIV/AIDS population in its Medicaid managed […]
Comprehensive Early Childhood Mental Health Systems to Improve Outcomes and Reduce Costs
/in Policy Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Oregon Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Expansion, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health /by Karen VanLandeghemNearly one in five Americans has some type of diagnosable mental health disorder. With these disorders costing $201 billion in 2013, behavioral health is a critical issue for state health policymakers. Children, including very young children, can experience mental health problems, and addressing these issues early can improve outcomes and lessen costs. Approximately 15 percent […]
Updated HHS Guidance on Improving Health Care Access for Justice-Involved Individuals
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, Health Coverage and Access, Health Equity, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Quality and Measurement, Social Determinants of Health /by Anita CardwellLast Thursday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released new guidance to clarify and update policies related to how states can improve access to Medicaid coverage and services for incarcerated individuals transitioning back into communities. Based on data from a newly published HHS report, currently 2.2 million individuals are incarcerated and an additional […]
For individuals living with complex, often chronic conditions, and their families, palliative care can provide relief from symptoms, improve satisfaction and outcomes, and help address critical mental and spiritual needs during difficult times. Now more than ever, there is growing recognition of the importance of palliative care services for individuals with serious illness, such as advance care planning, pain and symptom management, care coordination, and team-based, multi-disciplinary support. These services can help patients and families cope with the symptoms and stressors of disease, better anticipate and avoid crises, and reduce unnecessary and/or unwanted care. While this model is grounded in evidence that demonstrates improved quality of life, better outcomes, and reduced cost for patients, only a fraction of individuals who could benefit from palliative care receive it. 
FQHC Readiness and Practice Transformation Strategies
/in Policy Toolkits Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Health Coverage and Access, Health IT/Data, Health System Costs, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement, Safety Net Providers and Rural Health, Value-Based Purchasing Physical and Behavioral Health Integration /by NASHP StaffThe National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) designed this toolkit to support states interested in developing a value-based alternative payment methodology (APM) for federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). The following section on FQHC readiness and practice transformation discusses key considerations and promising strategies based on lessons learned from states during NASHP’s Value-Based Payment Reform […]