Additional authors include Sabrina Corlette and JoAnn Volk, Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms
COVID-19, the resulting behavioral health crisis and calls for law enforcement reform related to the behavioral health crisis response have heightened the urgency among federal, state and local policymakers to expand access to behavioral health crisis services. Recently, the federal government has provided new funding opportunities to states to improve access to behavioral health crisis services, including mobile crisis services. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) gives states the option of covering community mobile crisis intervention services in Medicaid for five years beginning in April 2022.
As states review the opportunities available to begin, enhance or expand mobile crisis intervention services under ARP, policymakers may further consider a hybrid funding model that provides mobile crisis providers with a consistent and steady stream of funding to ensure they are able to maintain 24/7 availability and respond in a timely manner to all individuals in crisis, regardless of insurance status.
In a new issue brief prepared for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s State Health and Value Strategies program, Manatt Health, in partnership with Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms, provides a sustainable, hybrid coverage and funding approach for mobile crisis services, where mobile crisis providers would obtain:
- A set amount or base funding that allows them to maintain continuous coverage
- Third-party insurance reimbursement for services rendered to commercially covered individuals and Medicaid enrollees
To download the full issue brief, click here.