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Request for Information Released to Aid in Coordinating Physical and Behavioral Health Services in Michigan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 20, 2017

CONTACT: Angela Minicuci, 517-241-2112

LANSING, Mich. – Today the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) released a Request for Information (RFI) to select the pilot sites for the Section 298 Initiative.

The Section 298 Initiative is a statewide effort to improve the coordination of physical health services and behavioral health services in Michigan. This initiative is based upon Section 298 in the Public Act 268 of 2016. The Michigan legislature approved a revised version of Section 298 as part of Public Act 107 of 2017.

Under the revised Section 298, the Michigan Legislature directed MDHHS to implement up to three pilot projects and a separate demonstration model in Kent County to test the integration of publicly-funded physical and behavioral health services. MDHHS has been working since August to develop the structure of the pilots, which focuses on payer-level integration of Medicaid-funded physical health and behavioral health services. The department collected feedback and solicited input from representatives of the current system on specific issues pertaining to the development of the pilots. The department used this input to develop a white paper which describes the parameters for the pilots. 

The department has posted the RFI to the State of Michigan procurement website. Interested applicants must submit their applications through the website by February 13, 2018. The deadline for applicants to submit questions on the RFI is January 10, 2018. The RFI also includes the following mandatory minimum requirements:

  • The applicant is a Community Mental Health Service Provider.
  • The applicant has submitted a signed memorandum of support from at least half of the Medicaid Health Plans (MHP) within the proposed pilot region, which demonstrates their engagement in pre-planning activities.
  • The applicant has submitted a plan demonstrating full financial integration as required under Section 298 of Public Act 107 of 2017.

The State will evaluate each informational response that meets all of the minimum mandatory requirements utilizing an evaluation process. The State will use the results of the evaluation process to select up to three pilot projects in compliance with Section 298 of Public Act 107 of 2017. The anticipated notice of the pilot decision is February 28, 2018. The department is aiming to implement the pilots and demonstration model by July 1, 2018.

For more background on the Section 298 Initiative and the RFI for the pilots, visit www.michigan.gov/stakeholder298.

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