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Feds approve Medicaid coverage for state violence prevention pilot project

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Illinois

* Coming a bit late to this, but Rep. Justin Slaughter (D-Chicago) mentioned the July 3rd announcement during an anti-violence press conference last week, and a prominent Statehouse lobbyist mentioned it in her client newsletter today. From a press release…

Today, Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) Director Elizabeth Whitehorn released the following statement in response to the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approval of Illinois’ “1115” demonstration waiver […]

In addition to supporting housing, nutrition and transition from incarceration and other institutional settings, CMS approval includes services to address substance use disorder (SUD), employment supports for people with disabilities, and violence prevention and intervention.

* More from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services…

Violence Prevention and Intervention Services

CMS is authorizing the provision of violence prevention and intervention services to Medicaid beneficiaries who are enrolled in managed care and who: 1) have survived violence; 2) are currently experiencing violence; or 3) are at risk of experiencing violence. Violence prevention and intervention services are 1905(a) coverable services under the preventive services benefit category. The state requested using 1115 authority to test these services as a pilot for beneficiaries enrolled in managed care before seeking authority in the state plan.

Violence prevention services must be recommended by a physician or other licensed practitioner and include screening, assessment of needs, development of individualized service plans, trauma specific therapy (includes psychotherapy, individual, group and family therapy, grief counseling, mindfulness and relaxation-based treatments, art therapy and other evidence-based clinical and social interventions), mentoring, peer support services, life skills training, psychoeducation, conflict mediation, crisis intervention and care coordination services including linking beneficiaries to medical, social, educational, and other necessary services.

* This match should help augment the state’s existing efforts. From the FY25 budget…

• Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority

o $200 million to the Restore, Reinvest, Renew (R3) program to provide flexibility with the disbursement of additional grants

• Department of Human Services

o $60 million in state funds for the fourth year of the multi-year Reimagine Public Safety grant program to build upon initial federal investments

The R3 program is funded by adult-use cannabis state tax revenue.

* During that press conference last week, civic leaders announced they had raised $100 million in private funds for violence prevention…

The money will support Scaling Community Violence Intervention for a Safer Chicago, which launched in February. It aims to reduce shootings and homicides by 75 percent over the next decade by helping community organizations grow in seven West and South side neighborhoods. […]

The plan — which focuses on East and West Garfield Park, Little Village, Humboldt Park, New City, Englewood, Austin and North Lawndale — is estimated to cost around $400 million over the next five years, leaders said.

“We are celebrating the $100 million that has been raised, but … I want more money,” Sen. Elgie Sims said. “I want a bigger partnership, because we’ve got a lot of work to do.”

That Medicaid match could help.

The private effort was announced last year by Jim Crown, who has since died. Background on that effort is here and here.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 15, 24 @ 1:40 pm

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