EPSDT
FEATURED ARTICLE
How States Provide Long-Term Services and Supports to Children in Medicaid Managed Care
/in Policy Blogs Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health /by Kate Honsberger and Erin KimFor years, states have used managed care delivery systems to help control costs and improve health care and outcomes for adult Medicaid beneficiaries with complex health care needs. Now, more than a dozen states are using managed care to provide long-term services and supports (LTSS) to children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). […]
Strengthening Health Care Delivery Systems for Children with Special Health Care Needs and the Role of Quality Measurement
/in Policy Webinars Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care /by Hannah EichnerWednesday, Nov. 28, 2018 2-3 p.m. (EST) States are in the midst of rapid transformation of their health care delivery systems, including how they provide services to children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). As of June 2017, 47 states and Washington, DC, use some form of managed care to provide services to […]
Resources to Help States Improve Integrated Care for Children
/in Policy Toolkits Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Featured Policy Home, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by NASHP StaffIntegrating children’s care improves early identification and treatment of health issues that can improve children’s well-being and avoid costly medical, special education, foster care, and criminal justice expenses. This Issue Hub provides valuable resources for states interested in the Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model and others working to implement payment, coverage, and cross-agency
New NASHP Tool Identifies Key Quality Measures for Children with Special Health Care Needs
/in Policy Blogs Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement /by Hannah Eichner and Kate HonsbergerQuality measurement is a critical component of state health programs, including Medicaid and State Title V CYSHCN programs that serve children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). While quality measurement for children continues to lag behind that of adults, quality measurement efforts for children overall, and CYSHCN in particular, are gaining greater traction […]
Webinar: State Strategies for Using Shared Plans of Care to Improve Care Coordination for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
/in Policy Webinars Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health /by NASHP StaffState Options for Promoting Recovery among Pregnant and Parenting Women with Opioid or Substance Use Disorder
/in Policy Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas Reports Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Healthy Child Development, Infant Mortality, Integrated Care for Children, Integrated for Pregnant/Parenting Women, Maternal Health and Mortality, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by Hannah Eichner, Becky Normile and Carrie HanlonThe opioid epidemic has heightened states’ efforts to prevent and treat of substance use disorder (SUD) in pregnant and parenting women. The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP), with support from the Health Resources and Services Administration, interviewed Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Texas officials about the unique interagency approaches they are using to promote recovery […]
State Strategies for Shared Plans of Care to Improve Care Coordination for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs
/in Policy Iowa, Oregon, Utah, West Virginia Reports Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Care Coordination, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Long-Term Care, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by NASHP WritersCare coordination is an essential component of care for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). When successfully implemented, it can improve care, reduce costs, avoid fragmented and duplicative care, and improve family functioning and satisfaction. As states work to provide quality care coordination, many are adopting shared plans of care (SPoC) to […]
Why Shared Plans of Care Are Critical to Coordinated Care and How States Are Implementing Them
/in Policy Iowa, Oregon, Utah, West Virginia 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, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by Erin Kim, Becky Normile and Karen VanLandeghemChildren and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) can require significant care coordination across a continuum of health and social services. Improved care coordination for CYSHCN can lead to better outcomes for CYSHCN, as well as cost savings for states. To achieve those goals, state Medicaid agencies and Title V CYSHCN programs are increasingly […]
Fact and Figures: How Medicaid Covers Behavioral Health Treatment in Children
/in Policy Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Children/Youth with Special Health Care Needs, CHIP, CHIP, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home /by Chris KukkaMedicaid pays a large share of treatment costs for children with behavioral health conditions. In 2011, more than 4 million children enrolled in Medicaid had a diagnosed behavioral health condition. The National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) has developed an informational fact sheet summarizing Medicaid provisions that cover behavioral health treatment for children. The […]
How State Medicaid and Title V Partnerships Improve Care for Children with Special Health Care Needs in Medicaid Managed Care
/in Policy 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, Cost, Payment, and Delivery Reform, Eligibility and Enrollment, EPSDT, Health Coverage and Access, Health System Costs, Healthy Child Development, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Primary Care/Patient-Centered/Health Home, Quality and Measurement /by Hannah Eichner and Kate HonsbergerStates are increasingly utilizing Medicaid managed care (MMC) to serve children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN), who often require a complex array of services. Many states are finding that forging partnerships between their MMC systems and Title V CYSHCN programs improves care coordination, transitions from pediatric to adult care systems, quality of […]

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. 
























































































































































Through Coordination and Investment, Arizona Substantially Increases Access to School-Based Behavioral Health Services
/in COVID-19 State Action Center, Policy Arizona Blogs, Featured News Home Back to School, Behavioral/Mental Health and SUD, Chronic and Complex Populations, Chronic Disease Prevention and Management, COVID-19, EPSDT, Health Equity, Integrated Care for Children, Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Medicaid Managed Care, Medicaid Managed Care, Physical and Behavioral Health Integration, Population Health, Social Determinants of Health /by Anita Cardwell and Gia GouldBy leveraging federal Medicaid funding and state investment while simultaneously clarifying complex billing procedures and enhancing engagement with providers, Arizona has made remarkable progress in increasing student access to critical school-based behavioral health services. Arizona’s efforts to improve school behavioral health services began in 2018 when its state legislature allocated $3 million from the state’s […]