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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have chosen eight states, together with Washington, D.C., to take part in a brand new federal initiative often known as the Housing and Services Partnership Accelerator, which is supposed to assist strengthen partnerships throughout housing, incapacity, growing older and well being sectors; entry out there federal packages and sources; and maximize federal flexibilities to assist hold individuals wholesome.

The Accelerator is meant to assist the states unlock sources to scale back homelessness by addressing health-related social wants, similar to housing-related providers.

The program offers technical help to states implementing HHS’ just lately issued steerage relating to clinically applicable and evidence-based providers that may be coated below Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). For instance, states can assist healthcare entry via Medicaid part 1115 demonstrations that present providers like housing transition providers and case administration that helps individuals keep away from lease violation.

In addition, states can present providers that join individuals to HUD housing packages by protecting short-term housing prices, like safety deposits and rental software charges, for particular transitions.

WHAT’S THE IMPACT

The Accelerator was announced by HHS and HUD in November 2023 as a aggressive technical help alternative for states. States with accepted federal Medicaid part 1115 demonstrations or part 1915(i) state plan amendments protecting housing-related assist providers for individuals experiencing homelessness (when clinically applicable) have been eligible to use.

As a part of their Accelerator software, states have been requested to kind collaborative groups comprised of companions from their well being, housing and growing older and incapacity sectors, and description the standing of their implementation of Medicaid-covered housing-related providers and helps, their objectives below the Accelerator, and areas through which technical help was wanted.

HHS and HUD stated they obtained an “overwhelming” response, with purposes from 15 eligible states and Washington D.C. A rigorous evaluate and scoring course of, together with interviews with state groups, led to the collection of Arizona, California, Washington D.C., Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina and Washington.

Over the following 12 months, HUD and HHS will present these eight states (and D.C.) with “intensive” federal technical help, and alternatives for state peer-to-peer trade to assist their implementation of clinically-indicated housing-related providers and helps below their Medicaid packages for individuals with advanced well being wants experiencing homelessness.

This consists of individuals with disabilities, older adults, individuals with psychological well being problems, individuals with substance use problems and folks with different power medical circumstances.

By receiving this federal technical help, HHS stated these states can enhance coordination and supply of providers like navigation providers, ongoing individualized case administration, one-time transition help, and residential modifications that may assist individuals receive and keep secure housing.

THE LARGER TREND

Last week, HUD introduced $3.16 billion to fund 7,000 housing and providers initiatives for individuals experiencing homelessness – the biggest enlargement but of annual federal funding offered via HUD’s Continuum of Care program.

In November 2023, HHS, via the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, revealed guidance and a framework clarifying the flexibilities out there to states below their Medicaid part 1115 demonstrations or 1915(i) state plan amendments to cowl providers to assist meet eligible enrollees’ well being associated social wants like housing and diet, and to obtain federal matching funds for his or her Medicaid expenditures on these providers when clinically indicated.

The Accelerator will present tailor-made assist to the chosen states which might be early adopters of those flexibilities.

States not chosen to take part within the Accelerator could apply to take part in a associated technical help alternative, the National Academy for State Health Policy’s Health and Housing Institute, funded by HHS via the Health Resources and Services Administration. Now in its third yr, the HHI additionally helps states pursuing cross-agency and federal-state-local methods to extend entry to secure, reasonably priced housing and wrap-around providers and helps for individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Applications for the HHI are due on Wednesday.

Jeff Lagasse is editor of Healthcare Finance News.
Email: jlagasse@himss.org
Healthcare Finance News is a HIMSS Media publication.