Overview:
Ohio launched its statewide system of care in 2022 via the Ohio RISE Medicaid-managed care plan for children and youth with complex behavioral-health and multisystem needs. Guided by core values of family- and youth-driven practice, community-based services, and cultural/linguistic competency, the initiative is anchored by the Ohio Department of Medicaid working in partnership with multiple agencies (e.g., child welfare, education, health) and includes accountability for metrics such as custody relinquishment, hospitalizations, school attendance and out-of-home placements. Casey Family Programs
3 Key Takeaways #
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Single‐Point Strategy Embedded in Medicaid Creates Integration
OhioRISE, operating under the Medicaid umbrella, brings together behavioral-health, child welfare and other systems in one coordinated model—facilitating system alignment rather than multiple disconnected silos. Casey Family Programs+1 -
Clear Eligibility and Services Aligned to Intensive Needs
Eligibility includes children / youth ages birth-20 on Medicaid who meet functional-criteria (via CANS assessment); services include tiered care coordination, mobile response, intensive home-based treatment, behavioral-health respite, and waiver-based supports. Casey Family Programs -
Built-in Accountability & Workforce Infrastructure Promote Sustainability
OhioRISE reports annually on quality, access and member satisfaction; tracks key outcomes (custody relinquishment, out-of-state placements, juvenile justice involvement, etc.); and supports sustainability through three Centers of Excellence that train and support the workforce. Casey Family Programs
Relevance for the National Center:
Ohio’s model illustrates how embedding a system of care within a Medicaid-managed plan, with multi-agency governance, service integration, clear eligibility criteria, and rigorous outcomes tracking, can drive system transformation. These components align with implementation science principles (e.g., cross-system governance, fidelity in care coordination, data-driven decision-making) and offer replicable features for jurisdictions working toward adoption-competent, family-centered support systems.
