Friday, April 19, 2024
4/19/2024
Abstract The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with Community Alliance Rehabilitation Services, will test and refine an evidence based and trauma informed model of planning and care that fully integrates health, mental health, substance abuse, and recovery oriented care and treatment to 160 unduplicated adults in Region 6 in the first year and 240 unduplicated in years 2-5 for a total of 1120. Applicability of lessons learned statewide is assured because Region 6 contains urban, suburban and rural areas and further, because it is home to the state’s most diverse population. In addition, a representative, statewide Integrated Care Taskforce will meet quarterly to review evaluation data and provide constant feedback on project activities. The Project will utilize grant funds to add and test strategic functionalities necessary for SAMHSA/HRSA Level 6 fully merged practice but currently not supported by Medicaid in Nebraska: (1) staff training on population-focused, evidence based practice; (2) engagement from the point of contact via a Rapid Response Team (RRT) consisting of a Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHP), Peer Specialists (PS) and Care Coordinators (CC) to address urgent needs through a Mini-Plan; (3) timely, integrated clinical response through a daily huddle of project staff, ongoing team based treatment planning, and a client specific Integrated Care Team (ICT); (4) rapid access to in depth assessments in mental health (by a LMHP) and chemical dependency (by a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) necessary to plan treatment and establish a diagnosis for third party reimbursement; (5) sufficient clinical time within treatment encounters to address complex needs and, with respect for client privacy, provision of real time information through an Integrated Care Dashboard updated automatically as changes are made in the CA certified EHR; and (6) expanding numbers served and therapeutic functionalities delivered via Telehealth. The project will implement the following mutually reinforcing evidence based practices without modification: the SAMHSA/ HRSA Center for Integrated Health Solutions rubric for standardized assessment of levels of integration and functionalities for achieving Level 6 fully merged practice; Motivational Interviewing, Wellness Self-Management, Seeking Safety, Supported Employment, SOAR, Peer Support (through state certified peer specialists); Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; ACT; Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services standards of US DHHS, and the American Telemedicine Association Practice Guidelines (in expanding telehealth services). The evaluation will include assessment of both cost and programmatic effectiveness and will drive full alignment with the CMS Collaborative Care codes (currently in the Nebraska Medicaid Plan) for project sustainment. This fully integrated model will produce measureable and sustained improvement in client outcomes including clinically significant improvements in decreased behavioral health symptomology and hospitalizations, blood pressure, BMI, waist circumference, breath CO, plasma glucose and lipid profile that match or exceed SAMHSA grantee benchmarks.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).
