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SUPPORT Act Innovative State Initiatives and Strategies for Providing Housing-Related Services and Supports: Sections 1017 and 1018

SUPPORT Act: Section 1017 

Section 1017(a) of the SUPPORT Act required the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue a Report to Congress describing innovative state initiatives and strategies for providing housing-related services and supports under a state Medicaid program to individuals with SUD who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. The report for section 1017(b) of the SUPPORT Act includes:

  • A description of existing methods and strategies adopted by state Medicaid programs that have achieved positive outcomes in achieving housing stability for individuals with SUD who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness who are receiving treatment for substance use disorders in inpatient, residential, outpatient, or home-based and community-based settings; transitioning between substance use disorder treatment settings; or living in supportive housing or another model of affordable housing
  • Strategies employed by Medicaid managed care organizations, primary care case managers, hospitals, accountable care organizations, and other care coordination providers to deliver housing-related services and supports and to coordinate services provided under state Medicaid programs across different treatment settings;
  • Innovative strategies and lessons learned by states with approved section 1115 demonstrations and section 1915(c) home and community based services programs including challenges experienced by states in designing, securing, and implementing such waivers or plan amendments, how states developed partnerships with other organizations such as behavioral health agencies, state housing agencies, housing providers, health care services agencies and providers, community-based organizations, and health insurance plans to implement waivers or state plan amendments;
  • Existing opportunities for states to provide housing-related services and supports through a Medicaid waiver under sections 1115 or 1915 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1315; 42 U.S.C. § 1396n) or through a Medicaid state plan amendment, such as the Assistance in Community Integration Service pilot program, which promotes supportive housing and other housing-related supports under Medicaid for individuals with SUD and for which Maryland has a waiver approved under such section 1115 to conduct the program; and
  • Innovative strategies and partnerships developed and implemented by state Medicaid programs or other entities to identify and enroll eligible individuals with SUD who are experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness in state Medicaid programs.

SUPPORT Act: Section 1018

Report to the President and Congress: Action Plan for Technical Assistance and Support for Innovative State Strategies to Provide Housing-related Supports to Individuals with Substance Use Disorder under Medicaid

Section 1018(a) of the SUPPORT Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide technical assistance and support to states related to the development and expansion of innovative state strategies to provide housing-related supports and services and care coordination services under Medicaid to individuals with SUD.  Section 1018(b) of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act required the Secretary to issue a Report to Congress detailing a plan of action to carry out the requirements of section 1018(a).

Technical Assistance and Support for Innovative State Strategies to Provide Housing-related Supports to Individuals with Substance Use Disorder under Medicaid

To support states with the development and expansion of innovative state strategies to provide housing-related supports and services and care coordination services under Medicaid to individuals with SUD, CMS is carrying out the following activities in federal fiscal years 2020-2021:

  • Offering states the opportunity for individualized, state-specific technical assistance needs assessments related to the development and implementation of Medicaid program housing-related initiatives for individuals with SUD and the strengthening of state Medicaid and housing agency partnerships; 
  • Offering a Medicaid state learning collaborative, for approximately 10 states. The learning collaborative will be focused on topics identified through states’ technical assistance needs assessments; and
  • Disseminating a series of issue briefs and provide a series of nationally-focused webinars on the development and implementation of innovative state strategies to provide housing-related supports and care coordination services under Medicaid to individuals with SUD.