News

CMS has just released a useful guide to help navigate the health insurance marketplace.

• Starting October 1, 2013, consumers in all states will be able to choose new affordable health insurance options through a new Health Insurance Marketplace. Some states are setting up a State‑based Marketplace, other states will work with the federal government in a State Partnership Marketplace and the remaining states will have a Federally‑facilitated Marketplace.
  
  No matter what state they live in, consumers can get help as they apply for and choose new insurance options. You can help provide that assistance in a number of different ways: by becoming Navigators, in-person assistance personnel, or certified application counselors. In addition, agents and brokers can help consumers enroll in new insurance options.
• Download the guide here.

Don't miss this important upcoming webinar where you can learn more about the CMCS Informational Bulletin on Prevention and Early Identification of Mental Health and Substance Use Conditions in Children and how the bulletin is helping agencies broaden their thinking about resources available to help them meet the needs of children under EPSDT.

Here is the webinar announcement:

• Join us for a webinar to discuss the CMCS Informational Bulletin on Prevention and Early Identification of Mental Health and Substance Use Conditions in Children, which was released on March 27, 2013.  This CMCS Informational Bulletin was issued to help inform states about resources available to help them meet the needs of children under EPSDT, specifically with respect to mental health and substance use disorder services.  The webinar will feature speakers from several federal agencies including CMS, ACF/ACYF, and SAMHSA, discussing the Information Bulletin as well as the collaborative efforts underway between the agencies.  Dr. Jane Meschan Foy from the American Academy of Pediatrics will provide information on the toolkit AAP has developed for providers to improve identification of mental illness and enhance treatment in primary care.  In addition, Medicaid staff from Colorado will speak about the work they have been doing to extend depression and substance use screening, diagnosis and treatment to children and adolescents. 
• When: June 19, 2013, 2:00pm-3:30pm EDT
• Presenters:
  • CMS - John O’Brien, Senior Policy Advisor, Disabled and Elderly Health Programs Group
  • ACF/ACYF - Clare Anderson, Deputy Commissioner with the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families
  • SAMHSA - Rebecca Flatow, Public Health Analyst
  • AAP - Jane Meschan Foy, MD FAAP, Professor of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University School of Medicine; Chair, American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Mental Health, 2004-2010
  • Colorado Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing - Gina Robinson, Program Administrator, Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing; Jerry Ware, Quality & Compliance Specialist, Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing

• The webinar is open to individuals interested in resources available to help meet the needs of children under EPSDT. Sign up here.

Today is the last day to provide comment on the HHS proposed rule change to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that singles out the records of people with mental illnesses (read our article posted on May 1st). The changes would apply different rules to certain mental health records for the purpose of ensuring that more records are reported to the FBI's gun database.

We support the Bazelon Center for Mental Health's position that this is unnecessary, will not achieve the intended purpose of reducing gun violence, and will only further stigmatize people with mental illnesses and mental health treatment.

What You Can Do

• Submit comments to HHS here before 5:00 pm EST today, June 7.
• The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law has graciously provided a comments template that you can use as a guide developing your comments.

The Oxford University Press Blog posted a great infographic about sequestration and its impacts.

• Tweet and share this link widely!

• Download a pdf of the infographic here.

Hat tip to Emily Holubowich, Executive Director of the Coalition for Health Funding for this tasty treat on a wet and rainy Friday morning here on the East Coast...

• CQ reports that House Majority Leader Eric Cantor yesterday said he plans to bring all 12 fiscal 2014 spending bills to the floor. Yes, all 12 bills. Including Labor-HHS.
  
  House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer responded, “I look forward to seeing the Labor-Health bill on the floor” noting that the Labor-HHS allocation is 20 percent less than the current year—4 times as bad as sequestration. He added “there is no possibility” that Republicans will bring forward all FY 2013 because they will “run out of money” needed to write reasonable versions of NDD measures, such as Labor-HHS.
  
  No word on when the House Labor-HHS markup will be, if it happens at all.

The Trust for America's Health has released The Truth about the Prevention Fund, a new report of key facts about the Fund. This report will come in handy for those working to demonstrate the Fund’s impact on health. As the press release notes:

• The Prevention Fund invests in programs that are proven and effective.  Oversight and evaluation is a key component of every Fund-sponsored program, and strict performance measures ensure accountability before federal dollars are spent.   The Fund supports community-driven prevention efforts targeted at reducing tobacco use, increasing physical activity, improving nutrition, expanding mental health and injury prevention programs and improving prevention activities.

• Read the report here.

Elaine Deck, Children's Mental Health Network Advisory Council member, has a great article in the latest NAMI newsletter on the effectiveness of Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT).

• Excerpt from the articleLaw Enforcement in Small and Rural Communities by Elaine Deck, former Senior Program Manager for the International Association of Chiefs of Police and Co-Owner, Slaton Associates, LLC
  

  One of the most frequent calls that local police and sheriffs receive are by or for individuals in emotional distress. First and foremost, law enforcement officers want to help people access the resources and services they need, especially those who are in need of medical or psychological care. However, the resources are few and far between in smaller and rural communities, limiting options for law enforcement. Hospitals become the primary source for receiving persons in distress, even if the hospital is 60 miles away. Officers are bound by law and protocol to take individuals who are a threat to themselves or others to a safe place where help might be available.

  One of the most valuable law enforcement training and tools to come along in the past couple of decades is Crisis Intervention Teams (CIT). CIT was developed for the Memphis, Tenn., Police Department by Major Sam Cochran as a response to the unfortunate shooting of a man with serious mental illness by police who did not realize the nature of the victim’s behavior. There are two components of CIT. First is training for law enforcement and their community partners. Second is building and sustaining a community partnership between law enforcement, community organizations, individuals living with mental illness and their family members, as well as medical and mental health providers.   Community mental health service providers or hospitals can develop protocols with law enforcement to ensure people needing mental health care get the help they need when they need it, where they need it. Because CIT brings together the broader community, it is a terrific service particularly to smaller and rural communities where resources are few and often stretched between several communities.

• Read the complete article on the NAMI website. Kudos to Elaine Deck, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and NAMI for working to strengthen relationships between local law enforcement and families.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting applications for a total of up to $7.9 million in grants for State/Tribal-Sponsored Youth Suicide Prevention grants for up to the next three years. This program supports states and tribes in developing and implementing statewide or tribal youth suicide prevention and early intervention strategies grounded in public/private sector collaboration. The collaborations can involve youth-serving institutions and agencies including schools, educational institutions; juvenile justice systems; foster care systems; substance abuse treatment and mental health programs; families and youth and other interested groups.

SAMHSA expects that up to $444,000 per year will be awarded to each of up to six grantees for up to three years. The actual award amounts may vary, depending on the availability funds.

• WHO CAN APPLY: Eligible applicants are states, federally recognized tribes/tribal organizations and private/non-profit organizations designated by the state and/or tribe/tribal organization. [See Section III-1 of the Request for Applications (RFA) for complete eligibility information.]
• HOW TO APPLY: You may request a complete application package from SAMHSA for SM-13-010 at 1-877-SAMHSA7 (726-4727) [TDD: 1-800-487-4889]. You also may download the required documents from the SAMHSA website at http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/apply.aspx. Your application must be submitted through http://www.Grants.gov. Please refer to Appendix B of the RFA, "Guidance for Electronic Submission of Applications."
• APPLICATION DUE DATE: Applications are due by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on June 13, 2013. Please review carefully Section IV-3 of the application announcement for submission requirements.
• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Applicants with questions about program issues should contact Michelle Carnes at 240-276-1869 or michelle.carnes@samhsa.hhs.gov.
• For questions on grants management and budget issues contact Gwendolyn Simpson at 240-276-1408 or Gwendolyn.simpson@samhsa.hhs.gov.  

• View the announcement on the SAMHSA website.

This Minority AIDS Initiative program uses new media platforms such as podcasts, blogs, social networks, and text messaging to promote discussions with racial/ethnic populations at high risk for substance abuse and HIV infection.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting applications for up to $2.5 million for grants using new media to create specialized prevention messages for traditionally underserved populations. This Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) program uses new media platforms such as podcasts, blogs, social networks and text messaging to promote discussions, training and other targeted prevention messaging to racial/ethnic populations at high risk for substance abuse and HIV infection.\

SAMHSA expects that a total of up to 20 grantees will receive grants of up to $125,000 a piece for one year. The actual award amounts may vary, depending on the availability of funds.

• WHO CAN APPLY: Past and present SAMHSA CSAP MAI grant recipients. [See Section III-1 of the Request for Applications (RFA) for complete eligibility information.]
• HOW TO APPLY: A complete application package may be requested from SAMHSA for SP-13-008 by calling 1-877-SAMHSA7 (726-4727) [TDD: 1-800-487-4889]. The required documents may also be downloaded from the SAMHSA website at http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/apply.aspx.
• Applicants are required to submit their applications electronically through http://www.Grants.gov. Please refer to Appendix B, Guidance for Electronic Submission of Applications of the RFA.
• APPLICATION DUE DATE: Applications are due by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on July 2, 2013. Please review carefully Section IV-2 of the application announcement for submission requirements.
• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Applicants with questions about program issues should contact Judith Ellis at (240) 276-1675 or send inquiries to MAI-Emerg-Tech2013@samhsa.hhs.gov.
• For questions on grants management issues contact Eileen Bermudez at (240) 276-1412 or Eileen.bermudez@samhsa.hhs.gov.
• View the announcement on the SAMHSA website.

This program is designed to support colleges and universities in suicide prevention efforts by enhancing services for at-risk students with mental and substance use disorders.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration is accepting applications for up to $6.4 million in FY 2013 Campus Suicide Prevention grants. The purpose of this program is to facilitate a comprehensive approach to preventing suicide in institutions of higher education. This program is designed to help colleges and universities build a foundation for their efforts to prevent suicide attempts and completions, and to enhance services for students with mental and substance use disorders that put them at risk for suicide and suicide attempts.

SAMHSA expects to award up to 21 grants for $102,000 each for up to three years. The actual award amounts may vary, depending on the availability of funds.

• WHO CAN APPLY: Eligibility is limited to institutions of higher education that have not previously been awarded a Campus Suicide Prevention grant. Tribal colleges and universities are eligible and encouraged to apply.
• HOW TO APPLY: A complete application package may be requested from SAMHSA for SM-13-009 by calling 1-877-SAMHSA7 (726-4727) [TDD: 1-800-487-4889]. The required documents may also be downloaded from the SAMHSA website at http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/apply.aspx.
• APPLICATION DUE DATE: Applications are due by 11:59 PM (Eastern Time) on June 10, 2013. Your application must be submitted through Grants.gov which can be found at: http://www.Grants.gov. Please review Appendix B Guidance for Electronic Submission of Applications of the request for application (RFA) for submission requirements.
• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Applicants with questions about program issues should contact Rosalyn Blogier at (240) 276-1842 or Rosalyn.blogier@samhsa.hhs.gov.
• For questions on grants management and budget issues, contact Gwendolyn Simpson at (240) 276-1408 or Gwendolyn.simpson@samhsa.hhs.gov.
• View the announcement on the SAMHSA website.