TRENTON – The Christie Administration today announced that New Jersey was selected by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to receive technical assistance from its Innovation Accelerator Program (IAP). The initiative promotes community integration for Medicaid beneficiaries through public/private partnerships and collaborations with housing and development agencies in their states.
IAP Community Integration, with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), are partners with CMS in the project.
“New Jersey already has made significant advancements in developing supportive housing services for individuals with mental health and substance abuse needs,” said Elizabeth Connolly, Acting Commissioner for the Department of Human Services, the single state agency for Medicaid funding and services. “We see this practical guidance as an opportunity to further expand our work and, ultimately, the housing options we can offer to consumers.”
IAP is designed to build state capacity and support ongoing innovation in Medicaid by focusing on four priority areas: (1) substance use disorders; (2) Medicaid beneficiaries with complex needs and high costs; (3) community integration - long-term services and supports; and (4) physical/mental health integration. The six-month program will begin in May.
In New Jersey, there are approximately 46,000 individuals who are receiving Medicaid long-term care services and supports, including about 23,000 individuals on Managed Long Term Service and Supports (MLTSS). MLTSS refers to the delivery of long-term services and supports through New Jersey Medicaid's managed care program known as NJ FamilyCare, which started operating on July 1, 2014.
Nationwide, approximately 4.8 million Medicaid beneficiaries received long-term services and supports in 2011; people with long-term services and supports needs account for about one third of all Medicaid expenditures, according to the CMS.
