Implementing opportunities identified in the new CMS School-Based Services Guidance to reduce the administrative barriers experienced by Local Education Agencies. - The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) in partnership with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction- the State Education Agency (SEA) intend to implement transformative changes to school-based services (SBS). HCA and the SEA are committed to: • Improving and expanding student access to needed healthcare services, • Decreasing the administrative barriers Local Education Agencies (LEA) experience when seeking Medicaid reimbursement, and • Improving student health and educational outcomes. We recognize the range and scope of Medicaid allowable services that can be offered, strengthened, and expanded in school settings, and grant funding will be used to conduct extensive assessment activities with all SBS stakeholders to inform final implementation recommendations. In 2023, HCA established a cross-division/cross-agency SBS chartered workgroup to assess the current state of Medicaid SBS and reimbursement in the school setting. The workgroup began engaging key SBS stakeholders, with particular interest in LEAs, with the goal of developing initial executive recommendations to improve and expand SBS. Grant funding will allow HCA and SEA to expand assessment activities and develop final recommendations for implementation. The total budget for the first year of the grant is $500,000. Grant funding will be used to provide the infrastructure needed to improve SBS statewide: • HCA will hire two FTEs to support grant activities. • LEA will hire a partial FTE to support grant activities. • HCA will contract with a consultant to assist with extensive assessment activities with all SBS stakeholders, including Tribes, students and families, and develop final SBS implementation recommendations. Grant funding will be used to create a sustainable partnership for better cross-agency collaboration and coordination between the HCA, SEA, and LEAs
