Summary
Below please find highlights from the Biden Administration’s recent announcements on improving behavioral health systems across the nation.
CMS Releases Innovation in Behavioral Health (IBH) Model Notice of Funding Opportunity
Today, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI/Innovation Center) released a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the Innovation in Behavioral Health Model (IHPP Summary). Other materials with information about the model including an infographic, a fact sheet, and FAQs, are also available on the model website. The purpose of the IBH Model is to assist participating practices in enhancing access to and promoting high-quality integrated care. Through supporting behavioral health practices to take the lead in coordinating interprofessional care teams, the model endeavors to comprehensively address patients’ behavioral and physical health, as well as their health-related social needs (HRSNs). Applications are due September 9th, 2024, and our full summary of the NOFO can be found here.\
SAMHSA Announces $31.4 to Continue Administration’s Commitment to Address Substance Use Disorder
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced $31.4 million in funding opportunities to enhance behavioral health services for racial and ethnic minorities and other underserved populations. This funding will provide training and technical assistance, integrate primary and behavioral health care, and support the Biden-Harris Administration’s initiatives to tackle mental health and overdose crises. Additionally, it aims to advance health equity and address the disproportionate impact of HIV on these communities, aligning with key goals of the President’s Unity Agenda. The funding opportunity announcements include:
- State Opioid Response/Tribal Opioid Response Technical Assistance – This program will be funded at $18.5 to support evidence-based training and technical assistance to reduce the impact of substance use disorders.
- Minority AIDS Initiative: Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Prevention and Treatment Pilot Program – This pilot program will be funded at $5.7 million to provide prevention and treatment services to medically underserved populations at risk for substance use disorder, viral hepatitis, and HIV.
- National Center of Excellence (CoE) for Integrated Health Solutions – The agency is funding $2.7 million to continue the CoE which supports physical and behavioral health integration, specifically using the Collaborative Care Model.
- Minority AIDS Initiative: Integrated Behavioral Health and HIV Care for Unsheltered Populations Pilot Project: This pilot program will be funded at $2.6 million to increase portable care services for vulnerable populations experiencing homelessness.
- National Peer-Run Training and Technical Assistance (TA) Center for Addiction Recovery Support – The agency is funding $1.9 million to continue the TA Center which advances peer recovery support services for people struggling with substance use disorders.
CMS Issues Informational Bulletin on Accessing Enhanced Federal Matching for State Information Technology That Supports Access to Behavioral Health Services
The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) issued a CMCS Informational Bulletin (CIB) instructing states on allowable expenditures for state Medicaid information technology and how to apply for enhanced Medicaid matching rates. States can access this enhanced federal matching for information technology that improves access to and/or coordination of services for Medicaid enrollees with mental health or substance use conditions. According to the agency, health information technology can increase care coordination, access to telehealth services, communication between providers, and access to 988 crisis services. The document includes an extensive FAQ section beginning on p. 3 to provide states with examples of state IT spending that may qualify for additional federal support.
New Federal Study Provides Insight on Non-Fatal Overdoses in Medicare Beneficiaries
Researchers from SAMHSA, CMS, the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that among 137,000 Medicare beneficiaries who had a nonfatal overdose in 2020, nearly 24,000 (17.4%) experienced another nonfatal overdose, and about 1,300 (1%) died from overdose within the next year. Published in JAMA Internal Medicine, the study highlighted effective interventions, such as methadone, buprenorphine, and behavioral health services, which significantly lowered the odds of subsequent fatal overdoses. However, it also revealed significant care gaps, with only 4.1% receiving medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and 6.2% filling naloxone prescriptions. Despite 89% receiving some behavioral health services post-overdose, the median duration was just 15 days annually. These findings emphasize the need for better integration of lifesaving treatments in post-overdose care.