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State Option to Provide Qualifying Community-Based Mobile Crisis Intervention Services

American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) of 2021: Section 9813

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) amended Title XIX of the Social Security Act (the Act) by adding after section 1946 (42 U.S.C. 1396w–5) the following new section: “SEC. 1947. State Option to Provide Qualifying Community-Based Mobile Crisis Intervention Services.”  This section also authorizes CMS to make funding available for implementing, administering, and making planning grants to states to prepare for implementing qualifying community-based mobile crisis intervention services.

Planning Grants

CMS, through the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS), awarded $15 million in planning grants to 20 State Medicaid Agencies for the purpose of developing a state plan amendment (SPA), section 1115 demonstration application, or section 1915(b) or 1915(c) waiver request (or an amendment to such a waiver) to provide qualifying community-based mobile crisis intervention services.

The following State Medicaid Agencies were awarded planning grants:  Alabama, California, Colorado, Delaware, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

For more information about this demonstration project, contact PlanningGrantsMCIS@cms.hhs.gov

CMS Guidance

CMS guidance on the state option to provide qualifying community-based mobile crisis intervention services was issued on December 28, 2021.

State Implementation

As of 2/2/2024, the following 15 States have received approval to implement this provision through a State Plan amendment:  Alabama (11/20/23), Arizona (9/23/22), California (7/20/23), Colorado (12/4/23), District of Columbia (9/8/23), Indiana (9/19/23), Kentucky (07/20/23), Massachusetts (9/29/23 and 11/6/23), Montana (10/17/23), New York (6/29/23), North Carolina (11/2/22), Oregon (9/12/22), West Virginia (9/5/23), Washington (10/10/23), and Wisconsin (5/12/23).