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Policy Recommendations

Under the original Section 298 language, the Michigan Legislature directed the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to develop a set of recommendations “regarding the most effective financing model and policies for behavioral health services in order to improve the coordination of behavioral and physical health services for individuals with mental illnesses, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and substance use disorders.” The Department convened a workgroup to assist with the development of the recommendations.

The Department and the 298 Facilitation Workgroup hosted a series of Affinity Group meetings across Michigan to inform the development of the recommendations. 1,113 Michiganders participated in this process during 45 separate meetings. The Affinity Group meetings included individuals, families, providers, payers and advocates. The Department and the 298 Facilitation Workgroup used the input from these discussions to inform the development of the recommendations.

The 298 Facilitation Workgroup ultimately approved 70 policy recommendations as part of its report to the legislature. The 70 policy recommendations can be found in the final report, which can be accessed through the link below.

Section 298 Final Report

 

MDHHS has completed the review of the recommendations from the final workgroup report. As part of this process, MDHHS has identified priorities for implementing the recommendations and also developed action plans to assist with the implementation process. MDHHS developed the following progress report to provide an explanation of the review and prioritization process. MDHHS also developed the following set of plans which outlines the department's strategy for implementing the recommendations. MDHHS posted updated versions of the action plans on November 2nd, 2018. Finally, MDHHS developed a crosswalk that compares the Section 298 Initiative with other statewide initiatives that focus on improving the delivery of behavioral health services and highlights potential linkages between these initiatives. These initiatives include the House C.A.R.E.S. Task Force, the Michigan Inpatient Psychiatric Admissions Discussion (MIPAD), and the Diversion Council.

All of the relevant documents are included below:

Progress Report (April 2018)

Attachment A (Financing Models)

Attachment B (Coordination of Physical Health and Behavioral Health Services)

Attachment C (Substance Use Disorder Services)

Attachment D (Services for Children, Youth, and Families)

Attachment E (Services for Tribal Members)

Attachment F (Continuity of Services)

Attachment G (Complaints, Grievances, and Appeals)

Attachment H (Protection for Mental Health and Epilepsy Drugs)

Attachment I (Self-Determination and Person-Centered Planning)

Attachment J (Governance, Transparency, and Accountability)

Attachment K (Workforce Training, Retention, and Quality)

Attachment L (Peer Supports)

Attachment M (Health Information Sharing)

Attachment N (Quality Measurement and Quality Improvement)

Attachment O (Administrative Layers)

Attachment P (Uniformity in Service Delivery)

Attachment Q (Financial Incentives and Provider Reimbursement)

Crosswalk of Behavioral Health Initiatives