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Medicaid rates for Michigan's public mental health system will rise starting April 1, 2024, following advocacy efforts to address a revenue gap. This increase aims to offset the decline in Medicaid and Healthy Michigan Plan (HMP) enrollment and cover the costs of wage increases for Direct Care Workers (DCWs). The rate adjustment, retroactive to October 1, 2023, will provide an additional $116 million in Medicaid funds, closely aligning with the $117 million gap projected by Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs). The decision came after discussions between the Community Mental Health Association (CMHA) and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), highlighting enrollment declines and re-enrollment anomalies. This rate adjustment will affect April through September 2024 payments, incorporating revenues missed from October 2023 through March 2024. We understand most providers will not see an increase in their rates, with most PHIP keeping the additional funds.

During a House committee hearing, Rep. Christine Morse's Subcommittee on Health and Human Services received funding requests, including one from MiSide, a Detroit-based nonprofit. MiSide is interested in establishing a housing and childcare project in downtown Detroit to provide affordable housing and childcare services. The project proposes a two-tier campus for 90 children's childcare and 40 affordable housing units. MiSide has partnered with local organizations, including KIPP Detroit, a nearby charter school, and Covenant Care, for free dental and healthcare services on campus, aiming to comprehensively support the Cody Rouge community. This initiative, aiming to break ground in fall 2024 with occupancy in 2025, targets individuals earning below 80 percent of the area's median income, intending to bridge gaps in childcare and affordable housing while fostering early childhood career connections for residents. Source MIRS.

Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra announced Michigan as the first state to implement new kinship care licensing standards, following a regulation change to support kin caregivers like grandparents, aunts, and uncles. This initiative allows Michigan to adopt more straightforward licensing standards for kin foster homes and mandates equal financial assistance for kin caregivers as received by other foster care providers. The change aims to facilitate family members becoming licensed caregivers, ensuring they receive timely financial support and services and enhancing children's stability and emotional growth in kinship foster care. The move aligns with President Biden’s executive orders to promote family unity and increase equity within the child welfare system, recognizing the essential role of family connections in a child's development. Michigan's plan was approved under new federal regulations, setting a precedent for supporting kin caregivers and acknowledging their critical contribution to child welfare.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer, alongside the Michigan Departments of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), Education (MDE), Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the Autism Alliance of Michigan, has proclaimed April as Autism Acceptance Month to promote inclusivity and support for individuals with autism and their families. Autism, being the fastest-growing developmental disability in the U.S., affects about 1 in 36 children, prompting Michigan to dedicate resources ranging from diagnosis to intervention and support. The state provides various vocational rehabilitation services to assist individuals with autism in achieving professional goals and economic self-sufficiency, emphasizing inclusive education and employment opportunities. MDHHS offers comprehensive services to Medicaid beneficiaries with autism, including behavioral analysis and support for independent living, aiming to expand access to care and improve treatment outcomes. The initiative underscores the importance of acceptance, inclusion, and recognition of the unique strengths and talents individuals with autism bring to communities and the workforce.

In Maine, Rep. Colleen Madigan, who has decades of experience in the behavioral health field and is currently serving her fourth term in the Maine House, highlights the critical need for further investments in the state's mental health infrastructure. Despite progress, Madigan observes a significant need for enhancement in services addressing mental health and substance use disorders (SUD), prompted by her professional and legislative experiences witnessing the detrimental effects of funding shortages.

Madigan points to bipartisan recognition of the urgency to fund community-based behavioral health services, noting a recent unanimous committee vote recommending a $15 million allocation for bills to close gaps in the community mental health system. Bill L.D. 472, among these proposals, explicitly targets bridge funding for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). These clinics represent a new federal model designed to expand access to comprehensive behavioral health services, with several providers in Maine working towards this initiative. The bill addresses various systemic issues, including enhancing children’s mental health services in rural areas, simplifying access to case management for recovery, mitigating workforce shortages, and developing programs for frequent crisis service users.

Madigan's dedication to addressing the mental health crisis is evident in her call for immediate action to prevent further harm to Mainers needing access to essential services. The status of the legislation, including bill L.D. 472 for CCBHCs, reflects a critical step toward improving Maine's mental health care system, underscoring the bipartisan agreement on the importance of community-based behavioral health services. Source: CentralMaine.com

WEBINAR: MDHHS will explore the new policy providing reimbursements through Medicaid. Timothy McNeill from Freedmen's Health consulting firm will cover the recent policy changes to reimbursements through Medicare. Learn about the ins and outs of payment changes and how they work for social and healthcare providers and communities.

CHWs are valuable resources for health in communities across our state, linking residents with vital resources, information, and connections to care. These new policies provide an opportunity to expand services to improve health in various ways.  

In our second webinar later this fall, we'll hear directly from CHWs on how the policies work in different care settings and learn about their experience with implementation and reimbursements.

Register to join us on May 2 by clicking the link below. Questions? Contact Grace Brooks at [email protected].

What: CHW Payment Policy for Medicaid and Medicare 
When: Thursday, May 2, 2024, 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Where: Zoom 
Who: Health Fund grantees, care providers, and care communities
Register: Health Fund

Registration is now open for the Michigan League for Public Policy’s 2024 Public Policy Forum at the Lansing Center on April 15, 2024. This year's theme, "Economic Justice for All," promises insightful discussions on public health improvement and eradicating social and economic injustices, featuring keynote speakers Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha and Dr. Luke Shaefer. A panel moderated by Zoe Clark, with experts including Linh Song, Kim Trent, and Aditi Shrivastava, will explore cash's role in alleviating poverty and enhancing children's outcomes. Open to a broad audience, from policymakers to community members, this free forum aims to forge a bold path for economic justice in Michigan. Register here.

The Michigan Health Policy Forum (Michigan State University) is set to present its Spring 2024 Forum titled "Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges: Unleashing Innovation in Behavioral Health Care" on Monday, May 20, 2024, from 1:00 to 4:30 PM. An optional networking luncheon will precede the event from 12:00 to 1:00 PM. This in-person event will take place at Lansing Community College West Campus, 5708 Cornerstone Drive, Lansing, MI, offering free parking and limiting in-person attendance to 125 people. Registration for the luncheon requires a fee of $15.00, and attendees must register individually with their name and email. For those unable to attend in person, a livestream option will be available without registration, with the link to be distributed later. Further details, including the agenda and speaker information, can be found on their website at michiganhpf.msu.edu. For inquiries, contact [email protected].

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If you have an event you want to share, please get in touch with Daniel Cherrin.