Focus on Health Care Webinar Series
With competition for resources on the state and federal level increasing, CSH knows it is important to focus on the most cost-effective solutions that deliver quality services. We at CSH also understand that connecting with health care systems is an integral piece of the supportive housing puzzle and our special webinar series that began in June is putting a spotlight on issues surrounding Medicaid, Federally Qualified Health Centers and other matters at the intersection of housing and health care.
Recordings and Related Resources
February 16, 2012 Sustaining Supportive Housing Programs: Medicaid’s Role
Securing services funding is essential to sustaining supportive housing programs. Short term federal or local grants and targeted state funding can be unpredictable and subject to government budget reduction policies. Louisiana can serve as a model for how to think of the services in supportive housing broadly and align state systems to efficiently provide resources, even in tough budget times. Louisiana’s 3,000 unit Permanent Supportive Housing Program, initially created as part of the state’s Road Home hurricane recovery plan, is one of the nation’s first cross-disability, integrated permanent supportive housing (PSH) initiatives to integrate Medicaid as a major payer of services. To date the program has housed over 2,300 of the most vulnerable people with disabilities across Louisiana’s Gulf Coast region. On this webinar, participants will learn more about Louisiana’s PSH initiative and the Medicaid policy changes the federal government approved to make it happen.
Powerpoint Presentation
November 17, 2011 How Should My Agency Work with Medicaid?
Becoming a Medicaid billing agency is not for everyone. While Medicaid is a stable source of funding, it comes with a heavy administrative burden and not all services in supportive housing are eligible for reimbursement. Organizations across the country are evaluating the pros and cons and charting the course that is best for them. Whether it is building the capacity to bill Medicaid internally or creating partnerships with other agencies, the obstacles to billing can be overcome. This webinar panel describes how their agencies tackled these questions and the decisions they reached.
October 27, 2011 Where to Start? How to Know What your State Should do to Improve Medicaid's Connection with Supportive Housing
Medicaid differs from state to state, which is why there is no uniform answer for how states can use federal state plan options or waivers to improve Medicaid's ability to reimburse for services in supportive housing. Because of this, a state-specific analysis is needed to identify:
- What services are being provided in supportive housing;
- Which ones are currently eligible for Medicaid reimbursement;
- Which ones could be eligible for Medicaid; and
- Which ones do not fit in Medicaid and need to continue to be funded through another source.
CSH has what we call a Medicaid Crosswalk (or gaps analysis) in several states which helps to outline state-specific issues. Webinar presenters explain how this process works and the next steps being generated.
September 29, 2011 Using Medicaid for Family Services in Supportive Housing
Medicaid is an important funding source for families living in supportive housing. Parents and children in supportive housing are eligible for Medicaid and it is important that providers use this resource, either directly or through partnerships, to ensure families receive the support they need. This webinar includes family supportive housing providers who explain which Medicaid services they provide, how they access Medicaid and how to pay for the services not included in Medicaid benefit packages.
August 25, 2011 Using Medicaid Data to Strengthen State Investment
This webinar featured a panel discussion on the type of data Medicaid agencies typically collect; the potential for data coordination between Medicaid, HMIS and housing agencies; and discussion on how to overcome barriers to collaboration.
July 21, 2011 Health Homes: Where does Supportive Housing Fit?
This webinar provided participants with an overview of the health home concept and explain the benefits of including supportive housing service providers in health home infrastructures. The Affordable Care Act includes a provision allowing states to experiment with Medicaid reimbursement for health home service delivery to chronically ill populations. Given that most supportive housing residents live with at least one and often multiple chronic health conditions, Medicaid agencies and health industry leaders should include supportive housing services as they implement the health home model.
June 23, 2011 How Community Health Centers, Behavioral Health Clinics and Hospitals are Leading Innovation in Supportive Housing
Webinar participants heard from community health centers, behavioral health clinics and hospitals engaged in supportive housing and learn strategies for reaching out to potential health service agency partners.
June 9, 2011 Supportive Housing Reducing Medicaid Costs and Improving Health Outcomes: A Review and Update of the Evidence
The first webinar in CSH's ongoing healthcare series will provide a summary of evidence illustrating that, by identifying and targeting vulnerable populations, community after community has found housing connected to health services improves health outcomes and reduces Medicaid costs for current enrollees who are high-cost, high frequenters of emergency rooms, hospitals and nursing homes.
