[NYAPRS Enews] OMH Highlights 2014-15 Budget Priorities for MH and SA

[Briana Gilmore]

NYAPRS Note: This just in from OMH! See below for an overview of the 2014-15 budget and how it will affect the operations of OMH and OASAS.
Fiscally Speaking
2014-15 Executive Budget Highlights
by the Office of Financial Management
The 2014-15 Executive Budget controls spending growth while reinvesting State savings to support the transformation underway with the implementation of Regional Centers of Excellence (RCE) for the State-operated facilities and Health and Recovery Plans (HARPs)/Managed Care for the integration of behavioral and physical health care.
Importantly, the Office of Mental Health (OMH) budget includes significant new investments to support and expand community based services, and to support the transition of individuals with mental illness out of nursing homes and adult homes into community settings. In addition, the Department of Health (DOH) Medicaid budget includes critical investments to facilitate the transition to managed care with a focus on improving outcomes, reducing system fragmentation and controlling costs.
Specifically, the 2014-15 Executive Budget for OMH includes:
*         $25 million to significantly expand community based services based on the recommendations advanced by the Regional RCE Teams. The funds will be used to expand State and voluntary-operated community based services including crisis/respite beds, home and community-based services waiver slots, supported housing, mental health urgent care walk-in centers, mobile engagement teams, first episode psychosis teams, peer-operated recovery centers, family resource centers, evidence-based family support services, suicide prevention services, family concierge services and adjustments to managed care premiums to expand community support services in HARPs.
*         $6.5 million to support a downstate supported housing stipend increase of $550 annually to cover the cost of higher rents for units located in Westchester, New York City and Long Island.
*         Funds to support residential units for individuals with mental illness transitioning out of adult homes ($30 million) and nursing homes ($10 million) into the community. This will support the development of 200 new units for individuals coming out of nursing homes (bringing the total to 600 by the end of 2015) and 500 units for individuals coming out of adult homes (bringing the total to 1,750 by the end of 2015). In addition, the Budget annualizes funding for continued residential bed development for NY/NY III homeless housing and other pipeline units.
On an ongoing basis, these new investments will be supported by OMH savings associated with the expected downsizing of 400 State inpatient beds that will no longer be necessary as a result of these reforms.
The 2014-15 Executive Budget also proposes to reinvest Medicaid savings within the DOH Budget for Behavioral Health services to expand community based services including:
*         Reinvestment for behavioral health programs that may close, or have already closed, to ensure that capacity is preserved in the impacted communities as the State prepares for the transition to managed care.
*         Reinvestment under Managed Care for any behavioral health savings for inpatient and other reductions to expand community based services under HARPs/Managed Care including the development of 1915(i)-like services.
In addition, the 2014-15 Executive Budget for DOH includes $120 million in Medicaid investments for Behavioral Health transformation initiatives including:
*         $20 million for system readiness activities to develop the infrastructure and capacity to facilitate the transition of behavioral health services for adults and children into Managed Care.
*         $15 million to enhance clinic reimbursement to support the integration of behavioral and physical health and the implementation of the collaborative care model.
*         $40 million for a targeted Vital Access Provider (VAP) program to preserve critical access to behavioral health inpatient and other services in certain geographic areas.
*         $5 million to establish a Medicaid service for clinical care provided in Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Residential settings
*         $10 million to establish Health Home Plus reimbursement for individuals receiving care management under a court order for Assisted Outpatient Treatment; and
*         $30 million to establish new 1915(i)-like services under the Health and Recovery Plans (HARPs) based on a functional assessment including rehabilitation, peer supports, habilitation, respite, non-medical transportation, family support and training, employment supports, education, and supports for self-directed care.
In addition, the Department of Health's 2014-15 Executive Budget increases Medicaid Redesign Team (MRT) supported housing funds by $14 million in 2014-15 and an additional $60 million in 2015-16.
http://omh.ny.gov/omhweb/resources/newsltr/2014/jan/fiscally_speaking.html
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