Benchmarks' Special Topic Webinar
Care Management Agencies (CMA)
May 21, 2021
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Dear Benchmarks Members,
There is a quickly growing need for individual/family community-based services to help to prevent children from entering behavioral health residential facilities and to have resources to support the step-down from hospital or behavioral health residential settings.
NC is sending increasing numbers of children out-of-state for residential placements. There is pressure by DHHS, DSS (county and state) and by Disability Rights NC to move these children back to North Carolina. In conversations with LME/MCOs about increasing community-based behavioral health services, there seems to be a general agreement amongst them that they need infrastructure funds to support building these services and most providers don’t have the bandwidth to develop or expand these community services.
We are hosting a meeting with members who are currently providing community-based behavioral health services or who are interested in providing them. We will discuss
- the innovative community behavioral health services you are providing,
- new services you think are needed,
- ideas about how to bring these services to scale across the state, and;
- develop a concept proposal to put forward to DHHS and the Tailored Plan awardees (announcement should be in a couple of weeks) to try and lift these services quickly across the state.
Upcoming Benchmarks' Webinars
Benchmarks' Friday Membership Webinar
Dave Richard Joins Karen McLeod
Date: Friday, May 28, 2021
Time: 8:30 am thru 9:30 am
New: Benchmarks' Special Topic Webinar:
Individual/Family Community-Based Services
Date: Friday, June 4, 2021
Time: 8:30 am thru 10:00 am
Benchmarks' Child Welfare Webinar
Lisa Cauley Joins Karen McLeod
Date: June 10, 2021
Time: 8:00 am thru 9:00 am
New: Benchmarks' Friday Membership Webinar
Dave Richard Joins Karen McLeod
Date: Friday, June 25, 2021
Time: 8:30 am thru 9:30 am
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Tailored Care Management Updates
As part of the transition to NC Medicaid Managed Care, NC Medicaid has worked with stakeholders to design the Tailored Care Management model for the Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD) Tailored Plan population. Tailored Care Management will launch in July of 2022 with the implementation of Behavioral Health I/DD Tailored Plans. NC Medicaid has the following updates related to Tailored Care Management.
Updated Guidance
NC Medicaid has published updated guidance on Tailored Care Management, including updates on AMH+/CMA Certification, capacity building and rates.
Historically Underutilized Provider Supplement Added
An optional supplement for Historically Underutilized Providers (HUP) has been added to the Tailored Care Management application. This voluntary supplement to the Tailored Care Management gives organizations the opportunity to self-identify as a HUP, if applicable.
Non-Binding Statement of Interest for Potential Clinically Integrated Networks and Other Partners Added
A Statement of Interest document has been added for Clinically Integrated Networks (CINs) and Other Partners to denote their interest in partnering with AMH+ or CMAs to share responsibility for specific functions and capabilities required to operate as an AMH+ practice or CMA and meet the requirements of the Tailored Care Management model. The submission of a Statement of Interest is voluntary and non-binding.
Dear Director Letter: May 2021 is National Foster Care Month
May is National Foster Care Month, a time to acknowledge child welfare professionals for the work you do to enhance the lives of children and youth in foster care. Foster Care Month also provides the opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge the countless foster families, kinship caregivers, and other caring individuals who make a meaningful difference in the lives of these children. This year, the theme is “Foster Care as a Support to Families, Not a Substitute for Parents.”
In support of this month, the North Carolina Division of Social Services (NC DSS) is excited to announce a special webinar – Permanency Matters: Shared Parenting. Shared parenting is an ongoing alliance among the most important people in the child’s or youth’s life. Maintaining these important connections assist a child or youth build a positive self-identity and positive family, cultural, and racial identity.
Please join us as Rowan County provides a presentation and discussion on shared parenting which will include field and lived experience.
Thank you for your interest and should you have any questions, please contact Kimaree Sanders at [email protected].
Medicaid Communication Access Pilot Initiative
The Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DSDHH) has partnered with the Division of Health Benefits to establish a pilot initiative for communication access services for patients (and companions) who have Medicaid and Health Choice. The goal of this initiative is to improve communication access for individuals who are Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing in healthcare settings. Through this initiative, healthcare providers can register to be reimbursed for communication access services such as American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters and Communication Access Real-time Translation (CART). We can also retroactively reimburse you for communication access services you provided after January 26th (when this initiative was implemented) once you register with us. DSDHH will also be able to provide you with a personal amplification device that you can use with patients that have some hearing at no cost.
Since companions are included with this initiative, it means if you see a patient who has a parent with hearing loss we can reimburse your office for communication access in approved healthcare settings. To learn more about this pilot service you can also view an ASL/captioned video introduction produced by DSDHH.
Please reach out to the Medicaid Communication Access Coordinator at [email protected] or (984) 884-1093 for additional information and/or questions.
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New Medicaid Bulletins Available as of May 18, 2021
The NC Division of Health Benefits (DHB) has recently published new Medicaid Bulletin articles:
- Updates to Clinical Coverage Policy 5A-3, Nursing Equipment and Supplies
- Updates to Clinical Coverage Policy 5A-2, Respiratory Equipment and Supplies
- Expiring Provider Credential Notices - May 18, 2021
- Clinical Policy 1E-7, Family Planning Services Claims Issue Update
- Tailored Care Management Updates - May 14, 2021
Providers are encouraged to review this information. All bulletin articles, including those related to COVID-19, are available on DHB's Medicaid Bulletin webpage.
Upcoming Medicaid Managed Care Webinars
Back Porch Chat: Specialized Therapies, Optical and Hearing Services
Thursday, May 20, 2021 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. Register
Abigail DeVries, M.D., Associate Medical Officer Consultant, NC Medicaid, Division of Health Benefits, NC Department of Health and Human Services will host the event, which will include presentations on:
- Optical & Hearing Services Follow Up
- Specialized Therapies in Standard Plan
- Pending CDSA Legislation
- Network Adequacy Update
- Newborn Policy Update
- Open Enrollment Update
- Advanced Medical Home Tier 3 Glidepath Attestation Payment Reconsideration Process and Attestation Reminder
- What Ifs of Managed Care
Virtual Office Hours: Medicaid Managed Care for Optical Services
Thursday, May 27, 2021 | 4-5 p.m. Register
These sessions offer an interactive format for providers to ask questions during the sessions. Providers are encouraged to submit questions in advance to [email protected] for discussion.
NC Medicaid Managed Care Hot Topics Webinar Series: Transitions of Care
Thursday, June 3, 2021 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. Register
Virtual Office Hours: Medicaid Managed Care for Hearing Aid Services
Thursday, June 24, 2021 | 4-5 p.m. Register
Information and presentations from previous webinars about the transition to NC Medicaid Managed Care are available here, as well as a schedule of upcoming webinars and events.
Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Available for Younger Teens!
Exciting news! Younger teens – those between 12 and 15 – can now get the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
The recommendation comes following a thorough review of safety and effectiveness data from clinical trials in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The North Carolina State Health Director has amended the Standing Order authorizing health care providers to administer COVID-19 vaccines through an Emergency Use Authorization to include the use of the Pfizer vaccine for adolescents ages 12 through 15.
Young people are vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus, just like everyone else. In North Carolina, close to 123,000 children 0 to 17 years old have tested positive for COVID-19, and the percent of COVID-19 cases that are in children 17 and under has been increasing.
Having a vaccine for our younger teens brings us that much closer to being able to end the pandemic. As always, we rely on you as a trusted messenger to help people make informed decisions and take action. NC DHHS has created a suite of communications materials for teens and their families to help you spread the word, including:
If you haven’t already, we hope you will join our Bringing Summer Back get-out-the-vaccine campaign. It’s a fun, flexible, community-centered approach to help every organization and individual stop the spread of COVID-19 by urging friends and neighbors to get vaccinated.
We also have a range of materials that can help you promote vaccines to everyone from teens to seniors. Our communications toolkit includes flyers and patient handouts, posters, social media graphics, website and newsletter graphics, virtual backgrounds, and a robust video library.
We are working with vaccine providers, including pediatricians and family medicine doctors, to make the Pfizer vaccine accessible across the state. We are also connecting larger vaccine providers who have the capacity to store the Pfizer vaccine to smaller practices needing a smaller quantity. To find providers with the Pfizer vaccine, go to myspot.nc.gov and filter for Pfizer.
New Medicaid Bulletins Available as of May 14, 2021
The NC Division of Health Benefits (DHB) has recently published new Medicaid Bulletin articles:
- Electronic Visit Verification for Innovations and TBI Waivers Administered by LME/MCOs
- Electronic Visit Verification Stakeholder Meeting
Providers are encouraged to review this information. All bulletin articles, including those related to COVID-19, are available on DHB's Medicaid Bulletin webpage.
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Approval for Final Disengagement from Cardinal- Forsyth County Commissioner
The Commissioners voted unanimously yesterday for staff to proceed with the final disengagement process steps. This was the last Commissioner action.
County staff will now be working on submitting our formal disengagement package to Secretary Cohen no later than June 30, 2021.
Once the disengagement package is submitted to Secretary Cohen, she will have ninety days to provide her decision.
Please communicate this update to your respective committees/groups.
Thank you for your continued support, feedback and candid conversations regarding this process. We appreciate your partnership as we work towards a seamless transition.
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Preferences for Long-Term Care Arrangements Among Rural and Urban Older Adults
As the population ages, information is urgently needed about how best to provide long-term care for older adults who develop functional limitations. Such information should incorporate the preferences of older adults themselves for care setting. This study describes care preferences by rural and urban location and by demographic characteristics among rural residents.
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Return to Work Resistance: Navigating the ADA Interactive Process and COVID-19 Disability Accommodation Requests
As vaccine proliferation continues, employers are preparing to welcome their workforces back to offices and job sites across the country.
While many Americans are eager to return to pre-pandemic life, employers can expect resistance from employees recalled to the office, particularly from those whose medical conditions put them at greater risk for complications from COVID-19. Reviewing best practices under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and guidance from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, this post provides employers with tips for engaging in an effective interactive process with employees seeking disability accommodations for risks associated with COVID-19.
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New: Monday, May 24, 2021
DHHS Update Call for BH/IDD Consumers, Family Members and Community Stakeholders
Time: 2:00 pm thru 3:00 pm
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Monday, May 24, 2021
Establishing and Using Bidirectional Data Sharing
Time: 2:00 pm thru 3:00 pm
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Monday, May 24, 2021
Addressing the Growing Overdose and Addiction Epidemic
Time: 3:30 pm thru 4:45 pm
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Tuesday, May 25, 2021
NC Medicaid Ombudsman: NC Medicaid Managed Care: What comes next
Time: 12:00 pm thru 1:00 pm
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Tues. May 25, 2021 & Wed. May 26, 2021
FFTA Annual Public Policy and Advocacy Institute - Virtual Event
Time: 12:00 pm thru 3:00 pm (Each day)
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Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Developing New VBP Services That Increase Quality & Decrease Service Costs
Time: 10:00 am thru 11:15 am
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Wednesday, May 26, 2021
Interoperability 101
Time: 3:00 pm thru 4:00 pm
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Thursday, May 27, 2021
COVID-19 Q&A Webinar for Behavioral Health Care and Human Services Accreditation
Time: 1:30 pm thru 3:00 pm
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Friday, May 28, 2021
Benchmarks' Friday Membership Webinar: Dave Richard Joins Karen McLeod
Time: 8:30 am thru 9:30 am
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Thursday, June 3, 2021 (Every 1st Thursday)
Hot Topics in Medicaid Transformation
Time: 5:30 pm thru 6:30 pm
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New: Friday, June 4, 2021
Benchmarks' Special Topic Webinar:
Individual/Family Community-Based Services
Time: 8:30 am thru 10:00 am
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New: Monday, June 7, 2021
Foster Care Plan Workgroup (Listen Only)
Time: 3:00 pm thru 4:30 pm
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Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Time: 12:00 pm thru 1:00 pm
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New: Thursday, June 10, 2021
Benchmarks' Thursday Child Welfare Webinar
Lisa Cauley Joins Karen McLeod
Time: 8:00 am thru 9:00 am
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Thursday, June 17, 2021 (Every 3rd Thursday)
Hot Topics in Medicaid Transformation
Time: 5:30 pm thru 6:30 pm
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New: Monday, June 21, 2021
Foster Care Plan Workgroup (Listen Only)
Time: 3:00 pm thru 4:30 pm
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New: Friday, June 25, 2021
Benchmarks' Friday Membership Webinar
Dave Richard Joins Karen McLeod
Time: 8:30 am thru 9:30 am
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New: Monday, July 12, 2021
Foster Care Plan Workgroup (Listen Only)
Time: 3:00 pm thru 4:30 pm
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Monday, July 12, 2021 thru Friday, July 24, 2021
North Carolina Youth Leadership Forum
The North Carolina Youth Leadership Forum (NCYLF) will be a free two-week web series in July that will model online college life for youth with disabilities. Participants will be treated like college students.
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