Children with Serious Emotional Disturbances Waiver

The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for the Children's Home and Community-Based Services Waiver for Children with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SEDW), which began in October 2005. The SEDW is currently available in a limited number of counties and Community Mental Health Services Programs (CMHSPs).

The Children's SEDW provides services that are enhancements or additions to Medicaid State Plan coverage for children up to age 20 with SED, who are enrolled in the SEDW prior to their 18th birthday. The MDCH operates the SEDW through contracts with the CMHSPs. The SEDW is a fee-for-service program administered by the CMHSP in partnership with other community agencies.  The MDCH has a partnership with the Michigan Department of Human Services (MDHS) to serve children in MDHS foster care in eight of the SEDW counties.

Key Provisions

The SEDW enables Medicaid to fund necessary home and community-based services for children with serious emotional disturbancd who meet the criteria for admission to the state inpatient psychiatric hospital (Hawthorn Center) and are at risk of hospitalization without waiver services. The CMHSP is responsible for assessment of potential waiver candidates.

Application for the SEDW is made through the CMHSP.  The Wraparound Facilitator, the child and his/her family and friends, and other professional members of the planning team work together to identify the child/family's strengths, needs, interventions and outcomes following the wraparound practice model.  The wraparound plan of service (POS) identifies all the services and supports necessary to meet the needs and outcomes.

Eligibility 

To be eligible for this waiver, the child must:

• Meet current MDCH contract criteria for, and be at risk of, hospitalization in a state psychiatric hospital (Hawthorn Center)  
• Demonstrate serious functional limitations that impair his/her ability to function in the community.  As appropriate for age, functional limitation will be identified using the the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS®) or the Preschool and Early Childhood Functional Assessment Scale (PECFAS®):
  • CAFAS score of 90 or greater for children age 12 or younger; or
  • CAFAS score of 120 or greater for children age 13 to 18
• Be under the age of 18 when approved for the SEDW
• Be financially eligible for Medicaid when viewed as a family of one (i.e., when parental income and assets are waived)
• Be in need of and receive at least one waiver service per month.

Coverage Area 

With the Collaborative partnership between MDCH and MDHS, the SEDW was expanded to 18 counties and 12 CMHSPs.  The counties and CMHSPs current approved are:

• Allegon County CMH Serivces (Allegan County)
• Bay-Arenac Behavior Health (Bay and Arenac Counties)
• Berrien Mental Health Authority (Berrien County)
• CMH for Central Michigan (comprised of Clare, Gladwin, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland and Osceola)
• CMH Authority of Clinton-Eaton-Ingham Counties (Clinton, Eaton and Ingham)
• Detroit-Wayne County CMH Agency ((Wayne County)
• Genesee County CMH Services (Genesee County)_
• Gratiot County CMH Services (Gratiot County)
• Kalamazoo CMH & Substance Abuse Services (Kalamazoo County)
• Lifeways (Jackson and Hillsdale Counties)
• Livingston County CMH Authority (Livingston County)
• Macomb County CMH Services (Macomb County)
• CMH Services of Muskegon (Muskegon County)
• Network 180 (Kent County)
• Newaygo County Mental health Center (Newaygo County)
• Northern Lakes CMH Authority (Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Wexford and Roscommon Counties
• Oakland County CMH Authority (Oakland County)
• Pathways (Marquette County only)
• St. Clair County Mental Health Authority (St. Clair County)
• Saginaw County CMH Authority (Saginaw County)
• Summit Pointe (Calhoun County)
• VanBuren CMH Authority (VanBuren County)
• Washtenaw Community Health Organization (Washtenaw County)
• Woodlands Behavioral Health Network (Cass County)

To request more information regarding eligibility for the SEDW, contact your local CMHSP or click on the link to the Children's SEDW Technical Assistance Manual:
2007 Children's SEDW Technical Assistance Manual. 

Report Abuse or Neglect Now!

If you suspect or are aware of the abuse, neglect or exploitation of a recipient of public mental health services in Michigan, use the following link to assist you in reporting the information, or call the MDCH-ORR Hotline:  1-800-854-9090.

http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,4612,7-132-2941_4868_4901---,00.html.

Contact:  Audrey Craft, Director of Children's Home and Community-Based Waivers

517-241-5757, e-mail:  crafta@michigan.gov