Benchmarks' Upcoming Webinars
Benchmarks' Membership Webinar:
DHSR Licensure Discussion
Date: Thursday, January 6, 2022
Time: 9:00 am thru 10:30 am
Benchmarks' Child Welfare Webinar
Lisa Cauley Joins Karen McLeod
Date: Thursday, January 13, 2022
Time: 8:00 am thru 9:00 am
*New Member Opportunity*:
Benchmarks' Member Webinar with Alliance LME/MCO
Friday, January 14, 2022
Alliance Health will present on the status of the Mecklenburg and Orange County realignments and the impact to providers. Updates will include information regarding provider contracting and claims submissions. There will also be time for questions and answers.
Time: 8:30 am thru 9:30 am
Benchmarks' Friday Webinar
Dave Richard Joins Karen McLeod
Date: Friday, January 21, 2021 thru December 16, 2022
Time: 8:30 am thru 9:30 am
(This registration is for a recurring meeting)
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Benchmarks' Friday Membership Webinar
with Dave Richard & Karen McLeod
December 17, 2021
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Draft Medicaid OTP Bundled Clinical Coverage Policy Stakeholder Meeting Slides and Information
The Stakeholder Workgroup met on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 to review the draft Clinical Policy for OTP. This policy is now out for public comment, with the date extended to January 5, 2022 at 5:00 pm for submissions and feedback.
ASAM Level 3.3 Clinically Managed Population Specific High Intensity Residential Services-Final Stakeholder Work Group: January 5, 2022 at 10:00 am - 11:00 am
DHHS will be holding our final meeting for ASAM level 3.3 Clinically Managed Population Specific High Intensity Residential Services for beneficiaries with SUD and TBI.
We will be reviewing the information covered during the previous meeting, which some individuals had difficulty accessing due to technical issues. If you attended the previous meeting, we will not be covering anything new.
Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions or problems with the attachments. Thank you!
Microsoft Teams meeting-There is no registration option for this meeting, so please add the following directly to your calendar.
Wed Jan 5th 10a-11a
Join on your computer or mobile app
Join with a video conferencing device
Video Conference ID: 111 804 191 0
Or call in (audio only)
+1 984-204-1487,,725962204# United States, Raleigh
Phone Conference ID: 725 962 204#
Joint Communication Bulletin #405: JCB 405 Coordinated Response to a Sudden Closure of a Child Residential Care Facility
Effective Dec. 1, 2021, the Department will implement the Operational Guide for a Coordinated Response to a Sudden Closure of a Child Residential Care Facility.
Any emergency closure of a residential care or treatment facility that results in the displacement of residents requires prompt, appropriate and well-coordinated actions. Response Teams are activated only in the event of an emergency facility closure, when a license revocation is in effect, or other sudden closure. The roles and responsibilities of each Response Team member is detailed in the guide.
DHHS is committed to assisting local management entities/managed care organizations, provider agencies and other local partners in anticipating and preparing for those situations.
If you have any questions, please contact Stacie Forrest at 984-236-5076 or [email protected].
Extension to NC Medicaid Managed Care Appeals Deadlines
Provider appeal rights defined in the Standard Plan Contract Section V.D.5 Provider Grievances and Appeals, and the appeal processes outlined in the Prompt Payment Fact Sheet, include deadlines to submit appeals which may vary by Standard Plans, from 30 days to 365 days after the decision giving rise to the right to appeal.
The Department shared concerns from providers about these deadlines with the Standard Plans. In response, Standard Plans will temporarily extend the following minimum appeal timeframes to support the transition to NC Medicaid Managed Care:
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Documents from Medical Care Advisory Committee (MCAC): December 10, 2021
Assertive Engagement Definition for public comment
Please see attached Alternative Service Definition for Assertive Engagement which is open for public comment. The comment period is open until 1/15/2022 . All comments can be emailed to Saarah at: [email protected].
Press Release: NCDHHS Announces Funding Opportunity for Substance Use Disorder Services for Individuals with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities
RALEIGH — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today released a funding opportunity to award a total of $4 million to up to 10 organizations to increase access to high-quality substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Using federal funds designated for SUD treatment, NCDHHS is prioritizing individuals with I/DD as beneficiaries of this funding.
"The department is committed to promoting whole-person health through integrated care," said Chief Deputy Secretary for Health Kody H. Kinsley. "People with intellectual and developmental disabilities who also experience substance use disorders often have difficulty accessing treatment services."
NCDHHS’ Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Abuse Services is soliciting applications from substance use disorder providers to expand their services to offer clinically appropriate substance use disorder services for people with I/DD.
Applicant agencies will:
- Work within their communities to identify and overcome barriers to substance use treatment access for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Develop and aid referral networks for this population
- Promote cross-system collaboration between I/DD and SUD providers
Funds are available for providers to enhance existing SUD services and/or implement new SUD services specifically designed to engage the I/DD population. Grant funds may be used for clinical training for providers to provide appropriate services to the I/DD population. Funds may also be used for data collection and analysis.
"This is an exciting opportunity to meet the needs of an often-overlooked population," said Interim DMHDDSAS Director Deepa Avula. "NCDHHS is invested in building and supporting the infrastructure needed to provide quality services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities."
The funding for this program is made possible by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s COVID-19 emergency relief funding, in accordance with the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplement Appropriations Act of 2021, which is provided via the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant awarded to NCDHHS.
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NC Medicaid Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) Provider Broker Attestation Form Now Available
NCTracks now requires certain transportation services (taxonomy codes 343800000X, 343900000X, 344600000X, 347B00000X, 347C00000X, 347D00000X and 347E00000X) to complete a form to attest that they are an NEMT provider/broker. The NC Medicaid Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT) Provider/Broker Attestation Form may be downloaded from the Provider Policies, Manuals, Guidelines and Forms page under Provider Forms.
Providers must complete this form and upload it on the Upload Documents page when completing an Initial Re-verification, Enrollment, Re-enrollment Application, or Manage Change Request (MCR). The attestation must be signed by the Office Administrator (OA).
Please review the full respective requirements for each taxonomy below. A complete list of enrollment requirements by provider type may also be found in the Provider Permission Matrix (PPM) located under Quick Links on the Provider Enrollment page.
343800000X - Secured Medical Transport (VAN)
The provider must provide a signed attestation on letterhead confirming: a) all individuals on staff are trained to work with patients in crisis situations resulting from mental or emotional illness and/or substance abuse and b) will keep this training ongoing annually and for incoming staff. The provider must also provide proof of vehicle insurance for all registered vans.
343900000X - Non-emergency Medical Transport (Van)
DSS will certify the agencies and prior approves each service.
344600000X -Taxi (Non-Emergency Medical Transport - Taxi)
The provider must provide proof of all vehicles meeting local, county, or state regulations in the jurisdiction where it is located. Valid vehicle registration(s) may serve as proof.
347B00000X - Bus (Non-Emergency Medical Transport - Bus)
The provider must submit their current NC business license as a bus service.
347C00000X - Private Vehicle (Non-Emergency Medical Transport - Private Vehicle)
The provider must provide proof of vehicle insurance for all registered vehicle(s) in the individual provider's name and proof of current registration for all vehicles.
347D00000X - Train (Non-Emergency Medical Transport - Train)
The provider must submit their current NC business license as a train service.
347E00000X - Transportation Broker
The provider must submit proof to show they are contracted with the Pre-paid Health Plans (PHP).
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NCDSS Working to Address Child Welfare Staffing Crisis
North Carolina’s local departments of social services are in the midst of a staffing crisis in Child Welfare Services. Across the state, counties are struggling to recruit and retain staff at all levels, from frontline workers to supervisory positions. In response, the Division of Social Services is working with partners to explore possible short and long-term solutions to help address counties’ immediate needs and offer suggestions on how to improve recruitment and retention for the future.
The Division of Social Services is working to develop strategies to share with counties around recruitment and retention. At this time, the Division is:
- Working to identify and address barriers that impact timely hiring and immediate transition into the workforce so that candidates with direct Child Welfare Services experience can return to work on a parttime or fulltime basis without administrative delay.
- Assessing current roles and responsibilities of frontline and supervisory child welfare workers to determine what areas of support will provide the greatest immediate benefit and relief.
- Developing materials and strategies for targeted recruitment around recent BSW and MSW graduates, professionals in adjacent fields, and experienced child welfare workers on how and why to join the child welfare workforce to serve North Carolina families.
- Continuing to implement child welfare transformation initiatives and priorities to improve and standardize services, increase state supervision resources, and create better outcomes.
- Conducting an ongoing caseload/workload study to provide data analysis on how caseload size and overall workload impact child and family outcomes, and drive decision-making among leaders.
NC Child Welfare Services is aware that some counties have implemented local recruitment and/or retention initiatives that have had success in retaining or hiring new members for their child welfare workforce. If you would like to share strategies that have worked well in your county or join the state’s efforts, please email Tammy Shook at [email protected].
While this is not the first staffing crisis North Carolina has faced in child welfare, it is unique in that we are also contending with the impacts and uncertainty of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, we know that through a united, statewide effort, we can continue to work toward addressing these challenges together and creating a better child welfare system for our children and families, as well as the workers who serve them.
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Consolidated Appropriations Transition-Aged Youth Payments Update
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is continuing to process county payments for the Consolidated Appropriations Act funding allocated for one-time, unrestricted payments for transition-aged youth. The Department will continue to distribute each county’s funding until the process is complete.
NCDSS remains grateful for the immense work every North Carolina county department of social services contributed to quickly identifying and locating transition-aged youth who could benefit from this time-limited opportunity. Because of your efforts, approximately 3,000 young people across the state are receiving funding. Thank you for your continued commitment to distributing these payments and to serving North Carolina’s transition-aged youth.
NC Child Welfare Surpasses Federal Targets for Foster Care Data
NCDSS is pleased to share that North Carolina child welfare surpassed federal benchmarks for foster care visits in a recent report submitted late November. The state’s data showed a statewide rate above federal targets for two data sets:
- North Carolina reported a 97% rate for visits on a monthly basis by caseworkers to children in foster care, which has a federal target of 95%.
- The state achieved a 92% rate for visits that occurred in the residence of the child, performing well above the federal target of 75%.
Federal requirements and NCDSS mandate that every child in custody of a North Carolina county child welfare agency have face-to-face contact monthly through caseworker visits. These contacts are documented in NC FAST or the legacy system, and the data are shared with the federal government annually after the prior federal fiscal year.
While COVID-19 has created challenges to achieving regular face-to-face contact with children in custody, North Carolina child welfare agencies have continued to adjust to pandemic-related restrictions to meet these goals and surpass federal benchmarks. These data reflect North Carolina’s ongoing commitment to providing services and prioritizing in-person, face-to-face contact as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve.
REMINDERS
NEW Course for Resource Parents on Disaster Preparedness and Response
NCDSS strongly encourages every supervising agency in North Carolina to ask their foster parents to take Preparing for and Responding to Disasters: A Course for North Carolina Resource Parents. This free, 1-hour online course teaches resource parents (i.e., foster, adoptive, and kinship caregivers) how to keep children and youth safe before, during, and after a disaster. Content includes:
- Common disasters in North Carolina and how to prepare for them.
- Communicating with and following instructions from licensing agencies (including mandatory evacuation orders).
- How to create a disaster plan for your family to keep everyone physically and psychologically safe.
The course was produced by UNC School of Social Work’s Family & Children’s Resource Program in partnership with NCDSS. It can be found on FosteringNC.org, our state’s learning site for resource parents: fosteringnc.org/on-demand-courses.
Community Child Protection Teams (CCPT) Survey Responses Due Jan. 14, 2022
The CCPT 2021 End of Year Survey is part of a Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) process that is mandated by the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). Please make sure that you are working with your local CCPT as soon as possible to ensure that the survey is completed by January 14, 2022.
Submit Diligent Recruitment and Retention Plans
If you have not already submitted your Diligent Recruitment and Retention Plans and data, please do so as soon as possible to Jodi Franck at [email protected]. Thank you!
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NC HealthConnex's Upcoming Outreach to Unconnected N.C. Health Care Providers
The N.C. Health Information Exchange Authority (NC HIEA) enters a new phase of its mission: providers and entities regulated by the Statewide Health Information Exchange Act have a new statutory deadline of Jan. 1, 2023, to connect to NC HealthConnex.
In early January, the NC HIEA will continue outreach efforts to unconnected members of the health care community, supporting its mission to improve health care quality and outcomes for North Carolinians by connecting health care providers and enabling them to safely and securely share health information through a trusted network.
The NC HIEA will mail letters to unconnected health care providers and organizations encouraging them to immediately take action to meet the Jan. 1, 2023, deadline. Consistent with directions from the N.C. General Assembly, these letters will “share information with each provider or entity about the Statewide Health Information Exchange Act and how to connect to the HIE Network.” The letters will encourage providers to initiate a legal agreement and/or the connection process with NC HIEA
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**Benchmarks' will host Alliance LME/MCO for a conversation about the Mecklenburg and Orange county transition on January 14, 2022 from 8:30 am to 9:30 am. Register here.
Provider Updates Regarding the Transition of Mecklenburg and Orange Counties from Cardinal
Transition Update for Providers Serving Orange and Mecklenburg Members:
Provider contract status: Alliance continues to process contracts for Cardinal providers who were providing services to Mecklenburg and Orange members. To help ensure continuity of care for impacted members, Alliance has implemented a priority approach for the contracting process in the following order:
- Providers who have billed for Mecklenburg and Orange members as identified by claims history AND have submitted their enrollment packet to Alliance.
- Outreach to providers who showed a past claims history for Mecklenburg and Orange but have NOT submitted an enrollment packet.
- Providers contracted with Cardinal to serve Mecklenburg and Orange members who have submitted an enrollment packet to Alliance but who do not have any active claims data.
Contracts will have an effective date of December 1, 2021, for each situation.
Providers in priority category 1(active claim(s) for Mecklenburg and Orange members and an enrollment packet submitted to Alliance) have all been contacted by Alliance and are being asked to verify site and service information via a provider specific service spreadsheet.
This includes a smaller subset of providers who have claims that occurred more recently (between September 1, 2021, and November 30, 2021). Alliance will be contacting these providers within the next week to initiate the contract process.
As a reminder, providers are asked to carefully review the Medicaid and non-Medicaid rate sheets and benefit plans that can be found in the Alliance document library. Please review the codes, services, rates and the current crosswalk to ensure that providers are familiar with any service changes and so that providers can review their contract spreadsheet with accuracy.
In order to help facilitate the process, we would like to remind providers to ensure that their enrollment packets are submitted with all the information that was requested. See our website for details.
Please email [email protected] with any questions. Include as much detail as you can with your question so we can best address the questions.
Status of transitioning prior service authorizations: Alliance is actively uploading open authorizations received from Cardinal. Many authorizations have been successfully uploaded and are available in ACS. Authorizations are valid for upload if the member’s enrollment matches the authorized benefit plan, and the provider has an executed contract where the authorized service code is contracted at the individual site. We continue to research and resolve those authorizations that have not met the elements required to import into the system. Alliance appreciates your continued patience as we work to successfully resolve issues preventing authorized services from uploading into ACS.
Claims Submission Guidance for New and Existing Providers:
Alliance Health encourages providers to submit claims as promptly as possible. Once the contracts information is active in ACS (our claims processing system), claims can be received from providers for processing.
If there are delays with authorizations, we advise providers to still submit their claims in accordance with our timely filing parameters. Should claims deny because they process before an authorization is active in the system, the claim can be reprocessed by Alliance Health once the authorization is active (with no duplicate claim submission required). It is important that providers submit claims as services occur and avoid holding claims, as timely filing parameters are applied to all claim submissions.
If providers are aware of a delay in their authorizations or another system delay, or have any questions about timely submissions, please contact Tina Everett, Claims Manager, at [email protected] or 919-651-8817.
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For the eighth year in a row, Mental Health America (MHA) released its annual State of Mental Health in America report, ranking all 50 states and the District of Columbia based on 15 mental health access and prevalence measures. The report illuminates the continuing crisis both in the prevalence of mental health conditions and access to mental health services. We must do more to ensure that Americans can lead mentally healthy lives.
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New: Tuesday, December 28, 2021
How To Connect
Time: 12:00 pm thru 1:00 pm
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New: Wednesday, January 5, 2022
ASAM Level 3.3- Final Stakeholder Workgroup
Time: 10:00 am thru 11:00 am
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New: Thursday, January 6, 2022
Benchmarks' Membership Webinar: DHSR Licensure Discussion
Time: 9:00 am thru 10:30 am
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New: Friday, January 14, 2022
School-based Suicide Prevention: Promising Approaches and Opportunities for Research
Time: 2:00 pm thru 3:30 pm
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New: Thursday, January 13, 2022
Benchmarks' Child Welfare Webinar with Karen McLeod and Lisa Cauley
Time: 8:00 am thru 9:00 am
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New: Friday, January 14, 2022
Benchmarks' Member Webinar with Alliance LME/MCO
Alliance Health will present on the status of the Mecklenburg and Orange County realignments and the impact to providers. Updates will include information regarding provider contracting and claims submissions. There will also be time for questions and answers.
Time: 8:30 am thru 9:30 am
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New: Friday, January 21, 2022
Benchmarks' Friday Membership Webinar: Dave Richard Joins Karen McLeod
Time: 8:30 am thru 9:30 am
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