North Carolina's six BH MCOs unite on foster care services plan

Abstract

North Carolina's six behavioral health managed care organizations (MCOs) have launched the N.C. Child and Family Improvement Initiative as a collective first move to providing an alternative to a proposed statewide foster‐care services plan, the Winston‐Salem Journal reported on June 4. Although spokespersons for the MCOs provided few details last week about the initiative, they expect “the immediate improvements resulting from this partnership will be fully functional before the planned Dec. 1, 2022 launch of the North Carolina Department of Health's Behavioral Health and Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Tailored Plans, an integrated care plan for people with serious behavioral health care needs, substance use disorder and/or disabilities. The MCOs said a primary goal of the initiative is to demonstrate their ability “to implement a statewide model to ensure seamless access to quality care for these children and families regardless of where they live in North Carolina. For those children with very complex behavioral health needs, often inclusive of intellectual/developmental disabilities needs, there are regularly challenges in securing needed treatment. Severe provider capacity issues and workforce shortages across the state have exacerbated these challenges.” The MCOs said their plan will address concern expressed by state legislators, county departments of social services, providers and families of service recipients.