Beginning next year, Missouri will take a new approach to serving residents with mental health, substance abuse and other chronic conditions. These residents will all be served through what's known as a "health home" model. It means providers -- ranging from primary-care doctors to counselors -- will be able to share the same data on each patient and provide better coordinated care.

The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that Missouri would be the first state in the nation to move to the health home model. Cindy Mann, a center official, provided no information about the number of Missourians that would be served by the new program or the costs. She expressed confidence that the approach would save money, citing research showing patients tend to get better care and more coordinated care at a lower cost through health home. She also noted that state would have to put up less money. Typically, states are required to contribute a 40 percent match for Medicaid services. But this program requires Missouri to spend only 10 percent of its money, with the federal government providing 90 percent.

See the complete article covered by the St. Louis Beacon.

The Affordable Care Act provided new flexibility and resources for State Medicaid programs to provide new health home services for people with chronic conditions. 

As a health home, Missouri’s community mental health centers will serve as the central source of care for patients with these diagnoses.  The centers will be responsible for coordinating all medical needs including primary, acute, behavioral health (mental health and substance use), and long-term services and supports for persons with chronic illnesses.  Recent investments in Missouri’s community mental health centers, including boosting their electronic health records systems, will help them perform this role.

This initiative specifically targets Medicaid beneficiaries in Missouri with severe and persistent mental illness or people with a mental health or substance use disorder coupled with either a second chronic condition or tobacco addiction.  Eligible beneficiaries will be able to select a qualified provider and participate in a health home. Missouri’s new services will go into effect on January 1, 2012.

States with approved proposals can receive enhanced 90 percent federal matching funds to support those activities for two years of the program. Missouri has worked closely with both CMS and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in developing its health home model to improve care for patients. Currently, two other States (Rhode Island and Oregon) have applied for a similar Health Home State Plan Amendment.

Click here to view the complete Press Release by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).