Biden Administration awards $15 million to 20 states for mobile crisis intervention

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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has awarded $15 million in planning grants to 20 states to support expanding community-based mobile crisis intervention services for Medicaid beneficiaries.

The goal is to connect people who are experiencing a mental health or substance use disorder crisis to a behavioral health specialist or critical treatment. These services will be funded by the American Rescue Plan and will be available 24/7.

Another goal eyed by CMS is reducing the reliance on law enforcement when people are experiencing a behavioral health crisis, which in turn the agency hopes will help prevent what it calls the "unnecessary incarceration" of people with serious mental illness or substance use disorders.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT

The planning grants -- funded by the ARP -- provide financial resources for state Medicaid agencies to assess community needs, and develop programs to bring crisis intervention services directly to those experiencing a substance use-related or mental health crisis outside a hospital or facility setting. 

CMS expects this will help states integrate community-based mobile crisis intervention services into their Medicaid programs, which it called a "critical component of establishing a sustainable and public health-focused crisis support network."

More broadly, the action represents an investment in highlighting the importance of behavioral health, which has been in the spotlight during the COVID-19 pandemic as many Americans have struggled with their mental health. The Biden Administration's priority in this regard is to expand access to crisis care.

The impetus behind the finding is to better connect those in crisis with high-quality, expert care, according to CMS.

Grant funds can be used to support states' assessments of their current services; strengthen capacity and information systems; ensure that services can be accessed 24 hours a day; provide behavioral healthcare training for multi-disciplinary teams; or seek technical assistance to develop State Plan Amendments, demonstration applications, and waiver program requests under the Medicaid program.

Due to the ARP funding, on April 1, 2022, all states will be eligible for a temporarily enhanced matching rate for implementing a qualified community-based mobile crisis intervention option in their Medicaid programs.

The period of performance for this grant will be from September 30, 2021 through September 29, 2022.

THE LARGER TREND

The move is part of a broader effort by CMS to address ongoing mental health issues across the country. In July, CMS proposed lifting restrictions on telehealth access in the home for the treatment of mental health disorders and to expand rural access to mental health services through interactive telecommunications.

CMS also proposed to expand access to mental health services for rural and vulnerable populations by allowing, for the first time, Medicare to pay for mental health visits when they're provided by Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers, to include visits furnished through interactive telecommunications technology.

This proposal would expand access to Medicare beneficiaries, especially those living in rural and other underserved areas, CMS said.

Data published in May showed Americans have been forgoing primary, preventive and mental healthcare visits. Utilization rates have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels for some treatments, but mental health services have shown the slowest rebound.

This decline in utilization is occurring at a time when preliminary evidence shows mental health conditions have worsened nationwide. The gap in service utilization due to the pandemic, particularly for mental health services, may have a substantial impact on long-term health outcomes.
 

Twitter: @JELagasse
Email the writer: jeff.lagasse@himssmedia.com