SUD Providers Using Bundled-Payment Approach to Leverage Peer Support Models

Certified peer support specialists are quickly becoming an essential part of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment in the United States.

Having gone through the recovery process successfully, peer support workers are driven to help others facing similar hardships in their lives. Addiction rehabilitation centers are now relying more on that connection and experience to create effective programs. Hiring peer support specialists and fostering an effective integration requires collaboration and mutual respect.

To ensure the peer-first approach endures, organizations must find ways to pay for the services. Funding can come in various forms. Many states reimburse organizations for peer support for substance use disorders, and commercial payers are also covering peer support services more often.

VA Health Care: Opportunities Exist to Further Meet Student Veterans' Mental Health Needs

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data showed that the percentage of student veterans who received mental health care at VA facilities increased from fiscal years 2017 through 2022, and at a higher rate than that of the total veteran population. VA data show student veterans were primarily treated for depression-related disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, and anxiety-related disorders. VA officials said younger veterans typically seek mental health care more than older veterans, and most student veterans are younger than age 34. The VA administers a program to support the mental health needs of student veterans. Under this voluntary program, VA health care systems can partner with local colleges and universities to provide campus-based mental health support to student veterans. However, GAO found VA does not communicate comprehensive information to its health care systems to help them consider when and how to implement programs, such as the types of staffing needed. Instead, VA communicates information about the program upon request. By more regularly communicating comprehensive information across its health care systems, the VA could help ensure its systems all have the information they need to consider participating in the program. This, in turn, would help ensure VA's ability to support the mental health needs of its student veteran population.

Opioid Settlement Group Issues Grant Timeline

The OneOhio Recovery Foundation is getting closer to dispersing millions of dollars of the state's opioid settlement funds, its executive director reported at a recent board meeting.

Staff are finalizing the 2024 regional grant request for proposals, which is set to be released and posted on March 4, the foundation announced.

March 4 also marks the opening of the new OneOhio Grant Portal which all applicants will use to apply for funding. Applications open April 2 and will be due May 3.

A summary of the February 14 board meeting can be viewed on the One Ohio Recovery Foundation webpage.

DeWine Administration Releases Revised Gender Transition Services Rules

On February 7^th, the DeWine Administration released updated rules for Gender Transition Services that were proposed by OhioMHAS and the Ohio Department of Health.  

As a result of the previous public comment period, OhioMHAS has made substantive changes to the proposed Gender Transition Services Rules, which we are pleased to see address many of the concerned raised by the Ohio Council and many others.  Highlights of the proposed new rules are the following:

• The comments revealed a significant interest in the original drafts’ impact on adult patients. The revised rules are now applicable only to minors.
• Recognizing concerns regarding limited availability of certain medical specialties, options for professionals included in the required multi-disciplinary care team were expanded and modified.
• A point of confusion existed surrounding the review of care plans by a medical ethicist. The requirement for review by a medical ethicist was never applicable to individual patient care plans but rather provider operations. However, to alleviate confusion and because of assurances from healthcare leaders that providers already appropriately engage medical ethics professionals in this type of care, the proposed rules do not contain this requirement.

The OhioMHAS rules have been submitted to the Common Sense Initiative (CSI) Office for review. Links to the rules and Business Impact Analysis (BIA) are included below.  Comments regarding the rules can be submitted through the link on the OhioMHAS web site. Alternatively, comments may be sent separately to OhioMHAS at [email protected] and to the CSI Office at [email protected].  Comments are due by 5:00PM on Wednesday, February 14, 2024. 

5122-14-12.1 | Gender Transition Care (IP Hospitals)

5122-26-19 | Gender Transition Care.

Business Impact Analysis

Similarly, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) issued a revised rule package with updates that partially address concerns raised for reporting on gender-related conditions and more narrowly define requirements for hospital and healthcare settings to those serving minors. Highlights of the ODH rule revision include:

• In response to privacy concerns, the rules are now even more clear that the data collected will not identify individual patients.
• The comments revealed a significant interest in the original draft’s impact on adult patients. The revised quality standard rules are now applicable only to care for minors.
• Recognizing concerns about the limited availability of certain medical specialties, options for the mental health professionals included in the required multi-disciplinary care team were expanded and modified.
• A point of confusion existed surrounding the review of care plans by a medical ethicist. The requirement for review by a medical ethicist was never applicable to individual patient care plans but rather to institutional operations. However, to alleviate confusion and because of assurances from healthcare leaders that institutions already appropriately engage medical ethics professionals in this type of care, the proposed rule’s requirement has been removed.

The updated ODH rules are available here.  ODH will now proceed with the rule adoption process, which includes review by the Ohio Common Sense Initiative (CSI) Office and subsequent filing with the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR).