Children with complex mental and behavioral health needs are struggling in a system that often fails them, with providers ill-equipped to offer adequate care. Medicaid plays a crucial role in addressing this crisis through three key strategies:
- Preventing crises by ensuring families can access behavioral health support easily, as seen in states like West Virginia and Massachusetts.
- Improving specialized inpatient psychiatric care by enhancing oversight and ensuring quality care, with states like Iowa and Virginia implementing review panels and payment incentives.
- Supporting the return to the community through structured transitions, such as Arizona’s caregiver involvement in discharge planning and Arkansas’ step-down care model.
While systemic change requires collaboration across agencies, Medicaid is actively leveraging its resources to improve care for these vulnerable children.
