Benchmarks' Friday Membership Webinar
April 2, 2021
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Upcoming Benchmarks' Webinars
Please align your calendars with the dates below.
Benchmarks' Child Welfare Webinar
Lisa Cauley Joins Karen McLeod
Date: April 8, 2021
Time: 8:00 am thru 9:00 am
Benchmarks' Friday Membership Webinar
Andrew Clendenin, United Healthcare, Joins Karen McLeod
Date: Friday, April 16, 2021
Time: 8:30 am thru 9:30 am
New: Benchmarks' Friday Membership Webinar
Date: Friday, April 30, 2021
Time: 8:30 am thru 9:30 am
New: Benchmarks' Child Welfare Webinar
Lisa Cauley Joins Karen McLeod
Date: May 13, 2021
Time: 8:00 am thru 9:00 am
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Help Center Email
DHHS has changed their COVID 19 email address to a Help Center Email. Please continue to use this email for any questions you have for all COVID and non-COVID matters and they will send your questions to the right subject matter expert for a response. Any emails that have previously been sent to the [email protected] will still be responded to.
SL 2&3 Stakeholders RE: March 26th Follow-Up
From Linda Kendall Fields:
Dear SL 2&3 Stakeholders,
We’re pleased that so many of you were able to attend last Friday’s SL 2&3 Quarterly Stakeholder Meeting with its special emphasis on building personal support networks.
During the meeting, Betsy MacMichael of First in Families NC offered the following video links, which also address the topic of building support networks:
Finally, you will find the key note speaker's PowerPoint presentation here.
Thanks much, take care and we hope to see you for our next quarterly meeting on Friday, June 18, 2021 at 2:30pm.
JCB J391 - State-Funded Community Living and Support Service Implementation
H/T: Eastpointe
The Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services (DMH/DD/SAS) approved Community Living and Support (CLS) to be added as a new service under the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) benefit plan with an effective implementation date of April 1, 2021.
CLS service requirements are as follows:
- CLS is an individualized service that enables individuals aged 16 years and older to live successfully in their own home or the home of their family or natural supports and be an active member of the community.
- This service supports individuals learning, practicing and improving existing skills related to the following: interpersonal skills, independent living, community living, self-care and self-determination.
- This service requires a NC Support Needs Assessment Profile (SNAP) (Level 3 or higher), Supports Intensity Scale (Level D or higher), or TBI Assessment requiring a moderate to high level of supervision and support in most settings.
- A psychological, neuropsychological, or psychiatric evaluation, supported by appropriate psychological/neuropsychological testing, that denotes a I/DD diagnosis as defined by G.S. 122C-3(12a) must be completed by a qualified licensed professional prior to the provision of this service. For individuals with a TBI, a clinical exam completed by a qualified licensed professional is required noting a TBI diagnosis as defined by G.S. 122C-3(38a).
- Service authorization must be completed by a Qualified Professional prior to the day services are provided.
- A service order must be signed by a qualified professional, physician, licensed psychologist, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner, consistent with their scope of practice prior to or on the first day CLS (IDD & TBI) services are rendered.
- Maximum group service ratio: Paraprofessional to individuals ratio is 1:3 as long as services outlined within the Person Centered Plan (PCP) or Individual Support Plan (ISP) are able to be fully addressed.
- Individuals receiving this service may not be a HCBS waiver member/beneficiary, or individuals receiving I/DD or TBI-related (b)(3) day services or individuals receiving Medicaid In Lieu of Services (ILOS) which include a meaningful day component.
- This service may not exceed 3 hours per day on school days for individuals 16 – 22 years of age who have not graduated.
- This service may not exceed 28 hours a week.
- Transportation to and from the residence and points of travel in the community as outlined in the PCP or ISP is included to the degree that they are not reimbursed by another funding source and for personal use.
- The paraprofessional is responsible for incidental housekeeping and meal preparation only for the individuals enrolled in this service.
Service Rates: Individual - $8.23/15 minutes and $32.92/hour / Group - $2.74/15 minutes - $10.96/hour The procedure codes are YM851 (Individual) and YM852 (Group). The LME-MCOs maintain rate setting authority.
Ethical concerns should be submitted to DMH/DD/SAS Consumer Rights Team for review. If validated, additional review and action may be taken by the State.
If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie Jones at 984-236-5043 or LaToya Chancey at 984-236- 5044, or email [email protected].
Be the Change: Enhance Tobacco Use Recovery Training
As you know, Medicaid will be requiring contracted physical and behavioral health programs to provide a 100% tobacco-free campus with the launch of the BH/IDD tailored plans starting July 1st, 2022. Below and attached to this email is a training opportunity on April 14th that will help behavioral health agencies prepare for this change. Please share among your networks!
Registration is still open for the session on e-cigarettes, tobacco treatment, and tobacco policy. Please help distribute the information, and attached brochure to anyone who may be interested. Information and registration link: https://mahec.net/event/65584
Session Title: “Be the Change: Enhance Tobacco Use Recovery Among Individuals with Behavioral Health Conditions”
Upon conclusion of this educational activity, participants will be able to:
- Describe trends in tobacco use including e-cigarettes and emerging products
- Discuss the known health effects of e-cigarette use.
- Relay the alarming rates of tobacco use among populations with behavioral health conditions and how to take action to reduce this public health crisis.
- Implement tobacco treatment interventions to help those with behavioral health conditions.
- Learn ways of talking with your clients about how to quit.
- Recognize evidence-based strategies for integrating tobacco use treatment services into your current treatment services.
- List nicotine replacement therapy and pharmacological supports and identify the two most likely to be effective medication regimens that help people quit.
- Utilize QuitlineNC and to refer clients.
- Describe steps to becoming a tobacco-free facility that meets Medicaid’s standard for 100% tobacco-free campuses.
April CEE Update
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April Training Now Available, New Medicaid Bulletins, Good Friday Call Center Schedule
Important Email Update
Effective March 31, NCTracks emails will come from the email address [email protected] (rather than the current address, [email protected]). Please add the new email address, [email protected], to your safe senders list to ensure you continue to receive important updates from NCTracks. Thank you!
Several important updates are coming to NCTracks next month. Providers are encouraged to review this important information to be aware of the upcoming changes.
New Medicaid Bulletins Available as of March 30
The NC Division of Health Benefits (DHB) has recently published several new Medicaid Bulletin articles:
Providers are encouraged to review this information. All bulletin articles, including those related to COVID-19, are available on DHB's Medicaid Bulletin webpage.
April 2021 Provider Training Now Available
Registration is open for the April 2021 instructor-led provider training courses listed here. Slots are limited. NCTracks Zoom courses can be attended remotely from any location with a computer and internet connection. Please note that as of Jan. 1, 2021, training will be conducted through Zoom; individualized meeting information has been created for each course. Please see the Training Enrollment Instructions section in the announcement for registration details.
Reminder: NCTracks Call Center Closed This Friday for Good Friday
In keeping with the State holiday, the NCTracks Call Center will be closed this Friday, April 2 for Good Friday. The Pharmacy Prior Approval Unit will be open holiday hours from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Friday.
The NCTracks checkwrite schedule is not affected by the Good Friday holiday.
Functionality to Display Future Eligibility Status to Be Added to NCTracks
Effective April 25, 2021, NCTracks will offer the capability within the Provider Portal, Recipient Portal and Eligibility Verification System (EVS) to display a beneficiary’s eligibility and managed care enrollment details for the month following the current month when a beneficiary eligibility inquiry is submitted (previously eligibility/enrollment details were only available through the current month). This eligibility and enrollment information will include the Benefit Plan ID and, as applicable, the Managed Care Entity ID.
For example, if eligibility details are requested for the following time spans and the current month is March:
- Request is for January-April – January, February, March, April, and May eligibility will be returned
- Request is for January-May – January, February, March, April, and May eligibility will be returned
- Request is for January-March – January, February, and March eligibility will be returned
- Request is for April – April and May eligibility will be returned
- Request is for May – May eligibility will be returned
Reminder: How to Address the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Certification Requirement if You Do Not Have a DEA Certification
If a provider designated as a prescriber on the Provider Permission Matrix (PPM)* does not have a DEA certification, they must:
1. Enter 123456789 as the DEA certification number.
- The prescribing provider is currently working on obtaining their DEA license (it is in process or is still pending). They must elect a temporary alternate prescriber to write prescriptions for controlled substances on their behalf until they have a valid certification. The form must be completed providing the alternate prescriber’s information.
- The prescribing provider elects not to prescribe controlled substances themselves but prescribing controlled substances is in their scope of practice. They must identify another doctor to write these prescriptions on their behalf. The form must be completed providing the alternate prescriber’s information.
- The prescribing provider does not prescribe or refer prescriptions for controlled substances because they believe their patients do not require controlled substances. In this circumstance, the provider must sign the statement on the form indicating this and describe their process for handling instances when a patient requires a controlled substance.
- The prescribing provider is in an ACGME accredited training program and does not practice independently. Note: This information must be updated once the program is complete.
3. Upload this form to the Upload Documents page under Status Management when submitting an application.
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The NC HIEA applauds the work and resilience of the health care community this year and are proud partners with you!
NC*Notify: Version 4 Features and Capabilities
NC HealthConnex is pleased to offer new notification features and updates in the latest version of NC*Notify. Current subscribers will now have access to COVID-19 lab result alerts, allowing them to react to positive cases in a more timely manner.
NC*Notify is a subscription-based service that notifies providers as their patients receive services across the care continuum. Based on admission, discharge, and transfer data received from more than 100 participating hospitals, plus encounter data from more than 6,000 ambulatory care settings, the NC*Notify real-time event notifications provide care teams with valuable information that spans geographic and care settings, and supports state and federal efforts to focus on patient-centered care.
“Having access to timely information about when our patients are seen at the hospital is always important to deliver better care. But especially during a public health crisis such as COVID-19, having access to timely notifications when my patients have been admitted or released from the hospital helps our staff schedule important follow up care,” said Dr. Harriett Burns, associate medical director and primary care provider at Piedmont Health Services Inc., an NC*Notify subscriber, and member of the N.C. Health Information Exchange Authority Advisory Board.
In addition to the COVID-19 notifications, some of the new alerts that are now available include:
- High Utilizer Alert - This notification will help providers identify frequent visitors to the Emergency Department (two or more visits in 90 days or less) or patients that are at high risk for readmission (four or more admissions in 12 months).
- Dental Alerts - Providers will be alerted when patients visit the Emergency Department for dental care.
- Care Team Change Alert - Providers will be informed when a new organization has subscribed to their patient.
- Diabetes Diagnosis Alert - Providers will be alerted upon a new diabetes and/or pre-diabetes diagnosis for patients they are monitoring.
- Chronic Care Management Alert - Providers will receive an alert when a patient meets the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Chronic Care Management (CCM) services criteria.
NC HIEA and DHHS Continue CVMS Efforts
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NC DHHS) and the North Carolina Health Information Exchange Authority (NC HIEA), continue to work together to automate COVID-19 vaccine administration reporting.
NC DHHS manages the COVID-19 Vaccine Management System (CVMS), a cloud-based vaccine management solution for COVID-19 that enables vaccine management and data sharing across the care continuum. This system allows for vaccine providers in North Carolina to submit cases or inquiries regarding COVID-19 vaccines.
NC HealthConnex offers connectivity to CVMS and patient matching across sources to enhance vaccine data by utilizing the NC HealthConnex master patient index. NC HealthConnex receives COVID-19 vaccine administration data from points of care such as hospitals and health systems, retail and community pharmacies, county health departments and other entities that are administering the COVID vaccine. To reduce double data entry, NC HealthConnex has continued to help with integrating health care providers’ EHRs and pharmacy management systems with the CVMS database. This data exchange reduces the need for manual entry of vaccine administration data directly into CVMS.
NC HIEA and AHEC Virtual Training Opportunities
To get started, providers may register for a series of seven video trainings, each of which provides an orientation to the features and services available. The newest module, Module 7: NC*Notify, offers an overview of how NC*Notify works, instructions to enroll and receive alerts, and use cases of how other practices are implementing NC*Notify into their daily workflow.
After attending a training module, a participant reported that their practice could “successfully incorporate NC HealthConnex into practice workflow easily.” They included “the interface is very user friendly, and we anticipate utilizing NC HealthConnex as a part of the daily workflow, including NC*Notify.”
Registration for the following modules is required to receive a link to the training.
These virtual offerings provide health care professionals with an introduction to NC HealthConnex or an opportunity to brush up on NC HealthConnex knowledge. In the midst of a pandemic, these modules offer a stress-free method of receiving training and staying up-to-date on all applications within NC HealthConnex.
For more detailed instructions on how to use the training software, visit our Training and Resources webpage here.
Security and Risk Awareness
The NC Department of Information Technology’s (NC DIT) Enterprise Security and Risk Management Office (ESRMO) provides leadership in the development, delivery, and maintenance of a cybersecurity program that safeguards North Carolina’s information and supports infrastructure against unauthorized use, disclosure, modification, damage or loss.
The ESRMO also works with state agencies, federal and local governments, citizens and private-sector businesses to help manage risk to support secure and sustainable information technology services to meet the needs of North Carolina’s citizens.
In an effort to ensure greater security awareness and practices, the NC HIEA is pleased to share the ESRMO monthly newsletter. In addition to articles on the rise in work-from-home email phishing schemes, check out the six tips to improve your organization’s cybersecurity posture. The following six tips can help protect yourself and others:
1) Avoid being social engineered, 2) Keep software up to date, 3) Practice good password management, 4) Physically secure your computing devices, 5) Install and maintain antivirus protections, and 6) Safeguard sensitive data.
Upcoming Events
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Webinar Recording, Slides & Q&A for NC Medicaid's Move to Managed Care: What Health Care Advocates Need to Know
Thank you for registering for the webinar on March 19, 2021 regarding NC Medicaid's Move to Managed Care. As promised during the webinar, we are sending along the link to the recording of the webinar. On the link to the recording, you should also find a rough transcript of the webinar.
We are also including the two additional documents:
We are planning more webinars or trainings in the future as NC's transformation to Medicaid managed care continues, so look for future announcements!
Thank you again for attending and for all of the questions!
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NC CTP Fall 2021 Learning Collaborative Applications are now open!
The NC Child Treatment Program is happy to announce that the following Fall 2021 Learning Collaborative Applications are now open:
- Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS)
- Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Please click on the links below to access the applications and information guides. You can also go to our website to find the applications using the button below.
SPARCS: Cohort 9
Starting: September 2021
Applications Due May 5, 2021
TF-CBT: Cohort 26
Starting: September 2021
Applications Due June 4, 2021
PCIT: Cohort 17
Starting: September 2021
Applications Due June 11, 2021
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How Social Connection Can Help Children Stay Resilient in Times of Hardship
The past year has been challenging, but children and youth are resilient.
How can caregivers and child welfare professionals effectively support children during the COVID-19 pandemic?
One protective factor that can help children and youth build resilience is social connection. Although connecting in person may not be possible, physical distancing does not need to turn into social isolation.
Child welfare professionals can help establish and support these connections by identifying flexible and creative methods for children and youth to connect with others using technology in safe and appropriate ways. Read more tips on how child welfare agencies and their community partners can encourage social connections in this brief from Child Trends.
In addition, research shows that children who have a strong connection with a caregiver are more likely to develop the coping skills that allow them to overcome hardships and even thrive in the face of adversity.
Use the following resources for information on the importance of social connectedness during times of uncertainty:
Explore and share these resources with other professionals and the children and families who need them.
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Learn about Changes to the Federal Definitions of Rural
Download the slides or the recording of a webinar hosted by the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health that explores the recent changes to the rural definition HRSA uses to determine eligibility for grants.
The recording also includes discussion of proposed changes to designations set by the Census Bureau and by the Office of Management and Budget (e.g., Metropolitan Statistical Areas and Urbanized Areas) and how those proposed changes relate to HRSA’s definition.
Seeking Public Input on Clinical Algorithms That May Promote Bias in Medical Decision-Making
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality seeks public input on clinical algorithms used in medical practice that may introduce bias into decision-making or negatively affect access, quality, and health outcomes among racial and ethnic minority groups. Learn more or provide comments.
How States Use Federal Medicaid Authorities to Finance Housing-Related Services
Using HRSA funding, The National Academy for State Health Policy just released How States Use Federal Medicaid Authorities to Finance Housing-Related Services. To address the housing needs of their Medicaid enrollees, states can leverage a variety of federal Medicaid authorities to deliver housing-related support services to individuals with disabilities and chronic conditions. This report explores the various federal waivers states used to increase supportive housing and reduce their Medicaid costs.
New Grant for Behavioral Health Training Programs
Behavioral Health Workforce Development TA and Evaluation Program
This new program will develop and provide tailored TA to maximize collaborative learning that will improve the behavioral health workforce. The awardee will provide TA to current and future mental health and substance use workforce grantees. We encourage interested health professions schools, academic health centers, state or local governments, and public or private nonprofit entities that train health professions to learn more about the eligibility requirements. Apply by Monday, May 3.
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We work all year to protect children and families and ensure their well-being, but this month, we can use this extra attention to move away from simply calling for awareness and redirect the focus to active change.
This year's theme, "Thriving Children and Families: Prevention With Purpose," shows the Children’s Bureau’s commitment to changing the conversation from one of raising awareness to purposeful action to prevent maltreatment by treating the root causes.
By providing all families with equal opportunity and access to the supports they need—and showing that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness—we can help improve the safety and well-being of children and youth across the country.
Read more about the actions we can take at all levels of society in the new Prevention Resource Guide, and use the new conversation guides to help families develop a plan for putting protective factors into practice in their daily lives.
Help spread the word in your community by using the sample social media posts and free graphics and use the hashtag #ChildAbusePreventionMonth to follow and share important resources all month.
To access past Resource Guide resources and tools, visit the Protective Factors Toolkit, which includes tip sheets, in both English and Spanish, designed to provide quick and easy-to-understand information to support families, as well as the “Protective Factors In Practice” vignettes, which can be used as a training tool to help identify what protective factors may look like in diverse families.
Thank you for planning to support this year's National Child Abuse Prevention Month and for your dedication to protecting and serving children and families all year round, so they can reach their full potential and thrive.
Through the continued dedication of child welfare, legal, and other related professionals, we can make the change from awareness to action and prevention with purpose.
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INTERDISCIPLINARY PARENT REPRESENTATION AND IMPROVED OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN
Federal law requires courts to provide parents free legal counsel when their children are removed and placed in foster care, but it fails to define the type of representation to which parents are entitled. An emergent type of representation utilizes interdisciplinary teams, often including a lawyer, social worker, and a parent advocate with first-hand child welfare experience. A 2019 New York study (the largest study of parent representation in family courts) found that interdisciplinary representation safely reduces children’s time in foster care by, on average, nearly four months, thereby saving potentially millions of government dollars.
On Friday, March 5, 2021, the Field Center partnered with The University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School to host a virtual symposium titled Family Defense and Child Welfare: Exploring the Role of Representation for Parents in Improving Outcomes for Children. The symposium brought together two authors of the 2019 study with interdisciplinary practitioners from Community Legal Services of Philadelphia (CLS). The panelists from CLS gave their own insight into the efficacy of interdisciplinary representation, sharing data and anecdotes from their experience in the field. As one panelist put it, “we’re going to pay [for parent representation] either way. Do you want to pay for bad outcomes or outcomes that actually work?”
Over 200 people attended the virtual event which was followed by a robust Q&A session. Attendees overwhelmingly agreed that the symposium enhanced their knowledge of interdisciplinary representation. To view a recording of the virtual symposium, click here.
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A guide to data on programs that support young children with disabilities
A new guide from OPRE and Child Trends provides information about three data sets on federal policies and programs that support young children with disabilities. The guide aims to help researchers interested in examining early care and education for young children with disabilities gain a complete understanding of the full range of information available on this population.
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Tuesday, April 6, 2021
COVID-19 & Funding Resiliency Series
Time: 11:30 am thru 1:00 pm
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Wednesday, April 7, 2021
Identifying Bias and Addressing Stigma in the Clinical Setting
Time: 12:00 pm thru 1:00 pm
These sessions are approved for continuing education credits for doctors, nurses, and social workers (live attendance only). The University of Vermont designates each session of this internet live activity for a maximum of:
- 1 AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)TM: each physician should claim only those credits commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity;
- up to 1 Nursing Contact Hours; and
- 1 general continuing education credits for social workers completing this course
- 1 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) Credit
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Thursday, April 8, 2021
Benchmarks' Child Welfare Webinar
Lisa Cauley Joins Karen McLeod
Time: 8:00 am thru 9:00 am
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Tuesday, April 13, 2021
Medicaid Transformation 101 Webinar
Time: 4:00 pm thru 5:00 pm
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Friday, April 16, 2021
Benchmarks' Friday Membership Webinar
Andrew Clendenin, United Healthcare Joins Karen McLeod
Time: 8:30 am thru 9:30 am
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Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Bridging The Gap From Data To Data-Driven Performance
Time: 10:00 am thru 11:15 am
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Wednesday, April 21, 2021
Integrated, Exposure-Based Treatment of Co-Occurring PTSD and Substance Use Disorders
Time: 12:00 pm thru 1:00 pm
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Thursday, April 22, 2021
Private Agency Training Info
Time: 12:00 pm thru 1:00 pm
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April 28, 2021
The Ethics of Feedback within the Therapeutic Milieu
Time: 9:30 am thru 11:45 am
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Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Understanding the Harm Reduction Approach:
Principles and Practice
Time: 12:00 pm thru 1:00 pm
These sessions are approved for continuing education credits for doctors, nurses, and social workers (live attendance only). The University of Vermont designates each session of this internet live activity for a maximum of:
- 1 AMA PRA Category 1 credit(s)TM: each physician should claim only those credits commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity;
- up to 1 Nursing Contact Hours; and
- 1 general continuing education credits for social workers completing this course
- 1 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) Credit
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Tuesday, May 4, 2021 -Thursday, May 6, 2021
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Tuesday, May 4, 2021
Time: 12:00 pm thru 1:00 pm
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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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Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Time: 12:00 pm thru 1:00 pm
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