CMS Announces New Model for Behavioral Health Integration

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), is announcing a new model to test approaches for addressing the behavioral and physical health, as well as health-related social needs, of people with Medicaid and Medicare. The Innovation in Behavioral Health (IBH) Model’s goal is to improve the overall quality of care and outcomes for adults with mental health conditions and/or substance use disorder by connecting them with the physical, behavioral, and social supports needed to manage their care.  The model will also promote health information technology (health IT) capacity building through infrastructure payments and other activities. The model will launch in Fall 2024 and is anticipated to operate for eight years in up to eight states. CMS will release a Notice of Funding Opportunity for the model in Spring 2024.

The IBH Model will be tested by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMS Innovation Center). Under IBH, community-based behavioral health practices will form interprofessional care teams consisting of behavioral and physical health providers, as well as community-based support. This new model supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s mental health strategy and implements an action item in the HHS Roadmap for BH integration.

Through interprofessional care teams, people will experience an integration of services that will bridge the gaps between physical and behavioral health. The model enables a “no wrong door” approach, meaning that regardless of how patients enter care, they will have access to all available services. Through this practice, IBH also aims to reduce overall program expenditures.

Practice participants in the IBH Model will be community-based behavioral health organizations and providers, including Community Mental Health Centers, public or private practices, opioid treatment programs, and safety net providers where individuals can receive outpatient mental health and SUD services. The model will incentivize these practice participants to work collaboratively to screen, assess, and coordinate between individuals’ physical and behavioral health needs. Practice participants will be equipped with the necessary resources to facilitate integrated care, including infrastructure payments to support health IT capacity building, electronic health records, and practice transformation; technical assistance; and a predictable value-based payment model.

For additional information, interested parties can access the following resources: IBH Model Webpage, IBH Frequently Asked Questions, and IBH Fact Sheet. The Ohio Council will notify partners as information regarding the anticipated Notice of Funding Opportunity for the IBH Model becomes available this spring.