NewsNow - 12.21.2022

Dec. 21, 2022

>>> Staffing Update: Matthew Price Named Deputy Director of Community Treatment Services

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) is pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew Price as the Deputy Director of the Office of Community Treatment Services. As Deputy Director, Price will oversee the bureaus of Children, Youth and Families and Adult Mental Health Treatment. Price brings more than 15 years of clinical experience and leadership to OhioMHAS. He began his career at NewPath Child and Family Solutions, an organization that provides behavioral healthcare, child welfare, and special education services in southwest Ohio. He was in a number of roles before serving as the Director of Residential Interventions throughout the last five years of his tenure with NewPath. Price oversaw all clinical and operational aspects of the program that included both crisis stabilization and residential treatment tracks. Most recently, Price was a regional coordinator on the Aetna OhioRISE team where he engaged and collaborated with stakeholders from many systems including behavioral healthcare, child welfare, developmental disabilities, juvenile justice, and Family and Children First Councils. Price received both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Cincinnati. He is a licensed independent social worker with Supervision Designation.

>>> RFA: SOR 3.0 GPRA Evaluator

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) has issued a Request for Applications for the SOR 3.0 grant GPRA Evaluator. Eligible applicants include public Ohio colleges or universities, medical organizations or other organizations that demonstrate experience with GPRA data collection and reporting, including conducting follow-up interviews and providing training and technical assistance to interviewers. Questions will be accepted via email to SORTreatment@mha.ohio.gov through Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. Final applications must be submitted electronically to SORTreatment@mha.ohio.gov by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023.

>>> Updated Medicaid BH Provider Manual Issued

The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) has published an updated version of the Medicaid Behavioral Health Provider Manual including several changes that will become effective January 1, 2023. Version 1.25 of the BH provider manual contains the following updates:

Revised Medicaid payment rates for the administration of the Child and Adolescent Needs Survey (CANS). (This change aligns with recent updates to OhioRISE provider guidance.)
Clarification that Mobile Response Stabilization Service (MRSS) may not be billed for time spent administering the CANS assessment. (This change aligns with recent updates to OhioRISE provider guidance)
Discontinuation of prolonged services codes (99354 and 99355) for psychotherapy services beginning Jan. 1, 2023, and after. This follows the new CPT/HCPCS guidance from the American Medical Association (AMA) beginning Jan. 1, 2023.
Discontinuation of CPT code 99343, Evaluation & Management Home Visit, presenting problems moderate to high severity, typically 45 minutes. This change also follows guidance of the AMA.
Codes added for several provider administered pharmaceuticals on Table 2-9.

Questions regarding the manual may be submitted to the ODM Behavioral Health Policy mailbox at BH-Enroll@medicaid.ohio.gov.

>>> New Housing Coming to Franklin County

At the NAMI Ohio Board Meeting, Jenny Schoning a member of the Melissa’s House Board of Directors, and also a member of the NAMI Ohio Board presented Judge Joyce Campbell, President of NAMI Ohio Board of Directors, a check for $500,000 to develop housing for the severely mentally disabled in Franklin County. “For 15 years, Melissa’s House has renewed facilities and homes across Central Ohio, directly benefitting thousands of individuals struggling with mental illness, and thousands more indirectly by providing the greater community with a renewed sense of hope, Schoning said. “Thanks to the support of community members like you, Melissa’s House has grown bigger than our vision could have ever imagined. It is now time to return to our original mission - establishing a residence to honor Melissa Goldberg. It’s both a realization of a dream, and an ending of our work. We have chosen the Ohio chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to receive our largest and most significant gift. We are donating $500,000, our remaining funds, to the Terry Russell Housing Initiative. NAMI Ohio is embarking on a new, multi-year initiative to expand and develop new homes to offer a quality, supported living environment for those with severe mental illness. Our funds will be used to build a home or facility that will bear the name Melissa’s House.”

In the photo above, Luke Russell, Executive Director of NAMI Ohio, Tom Standish, Etta Almon, and Karen Cousins all NAMI Ohio Board Members representing central Ohio, Judge Joyce Campbell, Board Member Jenny Schoning and Terry Russell who is leading the housing initiative received the $500,000 check from Melissa’s House Inc.

Terry Russell stated, “The outpouring of support for our housing initiative has been nothing short of astounding. Ohio’s community mental health system recognizes that a person with a serious mental illness must have housing before the journey of recovery can happen.” NAMI Ohio Board Member Senator Bob Spada often says friends help friends, the relationship that NAMI Ohio has had with Melissa’s House demonstrates how accurate Bob’s statement really is.”

>>> OSU Nisonger Building Bridges Survey Opportunity

As part of the Ohio State University Interdisciplinary Training Initiative to Improve Services and Support for People with IDD and Mental Health Disabilities, the Nisonger Center has released a survey to help shape its Building Bridges project. The goal of the project is to deliver state-wide training to professionals serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) and co-occurring mental health conditions. Products will include toolkits and live trainings among other resources. The survey will take 15-20 minutes to complete. Participants will be asked about: 1) their experiences with mental health and developmental disabilities services and supports, 2) barriers to getting services, and 3) training needs for professionals within the ID/DD and mental health systems. If you are interested in participating in this survey, please click the link above. Questions? Please contact Manisha Khatiwada at manisha.khatiwada@osumc.edu or call 614.366.3828.

>>> G.A.P. Network Informational Webinar – Jan. 19

The G.A.P. Network, a program of Prevention Action Alliance, will host an informational webinar on Jan. 19 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The G.A.P. Network was created to bring information, education, advocacy opportunities, networking, and support to individuals who have lost a loved one to an overdose and to family engagement groups that are working to end addiction to prescription drugs and opiates in Ohio. This webinar will introduce participants to the Network and answer important questions related to grief, advocacy, and prevention. The presentation will feature three G.A.P. Advisory Council Members as well as representatives from OhioMHAS. Click HERE for more information and to register.

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