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1115 Demonstration State Monitoring & Evaluation Resources

General Monitoring and Evaluation

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) develops tools to help states and independent evaluators in the development of evaluation designs and in preparing evaluation reports for Medicaid section 1115(a) demonstrations. These tools provide CMS’s expectations and guidance to support rigorous evaluation activities. In addition, states and independent evaluators should consult the following additional resources during the various stages of demonstration evaluation and monitoring activities, as appropriate, to ensure alignment with the state’s special terms and conditions and CMS’s expectations.

Additional resources for states:

Substance Use Disorder

CMS has provided tools and guidance to support state approaches to monitoring and evaluation of substance use disorder (SUD) section 1115 demonstrations in alignment with CMS's November 1, 2017 released guidance on strategies to address the opioid epidemic. CMS has developed these tools and guidance to support states with meeting the requirements in special terms and conditions for SUD section 1115 demonstrations.

  • Implementation Plan Template: This implementation plan template provides a framework for the state to document its approach to implementing SUD policies. It also helps to determine appropriate information for the state to report to CMS in the quarterly and annual monitoring reports.
  • Monitoring Protocol Template: The monitoring protocol template and instructions provide the state the ability to document what and how it plans to report to CMS on the quarterly and annual monitoring metrics and implementation updates.
  • Monitoring Report Template: The monitoring report template and instructions provide the state with a framework for how to report information to CMS quarterly and annually. In addition to the template and instructions, the tools include a list of quantitative 1115 SUD monitoring metrics on which states will be expected to report.
  • Mid-Point Assessment Technical Assistance: The mid-point assessment technical assistance resource describes the requirements for such an assessment of the section 1115 SUD demonstration to support the state with planning and executing the assessment. The resource illustrates how to use monitoring metrics data to inform tracking demonstration progress through the middle of its lifecycle, and outlines the report components, including example templates that the state may customize and use.  The resource also provides information specific to the SMI/SED demonstrations.
  • Evaluation Design Guidance: The evaluation design guidance highlights key hypotheses, evaluation questions, measures, and evaluation approaches, which will provide for a rigorous evaluation of a SUD section 1115 demonstration. The evaluation design guidance contains two documents:
    1. master narrative
    2. An appendix specific to SUD

Also available are appendices specific to SMI/SED and estimating the costs of the demonstration. 

Serious Mental Illness/Serious Emotional Disturbance

CMS has provided tools and guidance to support state approaches to monitoring and evaluation of Serious Mental Illness and Serious Emotional Disturbance section 1115 demonstrations in alignment with CMS's November 13, 2018 released Opportunities to Design Innovative Service Delivery System for Adults with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and Children with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED). CMS has developed these tools and guidance to support states with meeting the requirements in special terms and conditions for SMI/SED section 1115 demonstrations.

  • Implementation Plan Template: The implementation plan provides a framework for the state to document its approach to implementing SMI/SED policies. It also helps to determine appropriate information for the state to report to CMS in the quarterly and annual monitoring reports.
  • Monitoring Report Template: The monitoring report template provides the state with a framework for how to report information to CMS quarterly and annually, including the mental health availability assessment. In addition to the template, the tools include a list of quantitative 1115 SMI/SED monitoring metrics on which states will be expected to report.
  • Mid-Point Assessment Technical Assistance: The mid-point assessment technical assistance resource describes the requirements for such an assessment of the section 1115 SMI/SED demonstration to support the state with planning and executing the assessment. The resource illustrates how to use monitoring metrics data to inform tracking demonstration progress through the middle of its lifecycle, and outlines the report components, including example templates that the state may customize and use.  The resource also provides information specific to the SUD demonstrations.
  • Evaluation Design Guidance: The evaluation design guidance highlights key hypotheses, evaluation questions, measures, and evaluation approaches, which will provide for a rigorous evaluation of a SMI/SED section 1115 demonstration.  The evaluation design guidance contains two documents:
    1. master narrative
    2. An appendix specific to SMI/SED

Also available are appendices specific to SUD and estimating the costs of the demonstration.