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Great tutoring can help students master key concepts and gain valuable learning skills, while also boosting self-confidence along the way. But quality tutoring is not always affordable, easily accessible, or even available to many students. To address these challenges, Miami University recently launched Miami University Learning Lab which pairs pre-service teachers with K-12 students across the state to provide high-dosage, evidence-based tutoring in literacy and math. Offered through the College of Education, Health, and Society (EHS), and made possible by a donation from the Christine and Mark Johnson Literacy Partnership and a grant from the Ohio Department of Education, the Learning Lab is available for both face-to-face and virtual settings. Among the EHS programs included within the Learning Lab is Fostering Reading. Fostering Reading pairs college students who are teacher education majors with foster and adoptive youth from around Ohio for virtual tutoring. The tutoring offered will be 3 hours per week to kids K-5 via virtual format, and will include research-based assessments and lessons. To learn more, contact Dr. Leah Wasburn-Moses, Professor, Miami University at wasburlh@miamioh.edu. To register your child(ren), go to https://tinyurl.com/frparentsignup

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has announced that it has partnered with the Ohio Alliance of YMCAs Foundation to provide free memberships for certified foster homes and approved kinship caregivers as well as Bridges participants and their children. ODJFS reports that half the cost of the memberships is paid for by ODJFS. The other half will be covered by an Ohio YMCA grant for at least one year. Eligibility Criteria - Foster Homes Certified foster homes must provide the YMCA a copy of the family’s current JFS 01213, “Notice of Approval for Foster Home,” showing the family is currently certified as a foster home. They must also provide a letter from the family’s recommending foster care agency on that agency’s letterhead which must indicate the family is in good standing and either the family has had at least one foster care placement within the past 18 months, or the family is a newly certified foster home within the last six months. Eligibility Criteria - Foster Homes Kinship families must provide a letter from the agency that approved the family on the agency’s letterhead indicating the family is in good standing with the agency and that they have a current kinship child placed in the home. Eligibility Criteria - Bridges Participants Bridges participants must provide a copy of the participant’s Bridges Voluntary Participation Agreement showing the participant is enrolled in Bridges and a letter from the Bridges grantee on the grantee’s letterhead indicating the participant is currently enrolled in Bridges.

Beginning Aug. 1, ODM has temporarily stopped accepting provider enrollment applications as they are transitioning to the new Provider Network Management (PNM) module. New providers should enroll by July 31 or plan to hold enrollment applications until Oct. 1. This means there will be a 60-day hiatus for new practitioner enrollment and thus claims would have to be held for them until Oct. Beginning Aug. 31, all provider demographic and agent maintenance update functionality will be closed for conversion of data in MITS. Enrolled providers should update their demographic information in MITS by Aug. 30 or plan to hold updates until Oct. 1. This means there will be a pause on existing practitioner updates for 30 days, and depending on your situation, their claims may need held for 30 days. Please note that ODM has released OhioRISE Provider Enrollment During System Transition Guidance available on the Resources for Community Partners and Providers page of the OhioRISE webpage. Providers can visit the following link to the MITS Secure Portal Login for more information: https://portal.ohmits.com/Public/MenuRedirect.aspx?Login%20Redirect

The Child and Family Health Collaborative, (CFHCO) a subsidiary of the Ohio Children’s Alliance, is proud to announce the release of the Bridges Program 2022 Impact Report. This report details how the power of perseverance and commitment, displayed by the combined efforts of our participants and staff, resulted in young adults achieving high levels of success during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since February 2018, the Ohio Bridges Program has been serving young adults between the ages of 18 and 21 who emancipated from foster care. In order to help young adults achieve success in adulthood, the program focuses on providing resources and support on four main pillars: housing, employment, education, and well-being. In another year of unprecedented challenge, Bridges continued to reach new heights in 2021. The significant challenges that arose from the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the already-numerous hurdles our youth, their communities, and our staff faced on a daily basis. Despite the additional hardships, the Bridges program served a record number of young adults and provided them with the support needed to be successful. As a result of COVID relief legislation, 312 young adults who exited Bridges were able to re-enroll, and another 640 participants continued past their 21st birthday. This culminated in a 70% increase in participant length of stay in the program over the previous year. With the help of Bridges service teams, all of these young adults were able to work on their goals like finding and maintaining employment, pursuing educational endeavors, maintaining safe/affordable housing, and taking steps to improve their well-being. Well-being is an area where participants excelled. 93% of Bridges participants reported feeling secure in having their basic food needs met, 87% reported stability in their mental health, and 94% reported having health care coverage that was satisfactory and affordable. “The positive outcomes achieved in the Bridges Program demonstrate the strength of Ohio’s young adults to overcome adversity. We are grateful to be a part of their support system and are excited to see what the future holds for the program and for former foster youth,” said Mark Mecum, Ohio Children’s Alliance and CFHCO CEO. “We also thank the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Governor’s Office for their sincere partnership in this endeavor.” The Ohio Bridges Program is a voluntary program available to young adults who left foster care in Ohio at ages 18, 19, or 20 and who are in school, working, participating in an employment program, or have a medical condition that prevents them from going to school or working. The program provides guidance and support as they transition to adulthood. To learn more or to apply, click here or contact Geoff Hollenbach, Bridges Program Administrator, with any questions.

Established in 2022, Ohio Mental Health Bridge is a new program of the Ohio Children's Alliance aimed at expanding access to mental health services for children in child care centers licensed by ODJFS by linking them with providers across the state. Ohio Mental Health Bridge is currently in pilot phase. The program offers an online referral tool that assists in setting up ongoing mental health services for children delivered by mental health agencies located in their community. Ohio’s Mental Health Bridge will build upon and supplement other state government investments in early childhood mental health. The program website is now live and contains important information for child care centers, providers, families, and communities looking to learn more about the program and how to get involved. Also on the website is a program flyer which we encourage you to distribute widely among your circles. You can view the newly-launched website here. You can also reach out to mhbridge@ohiochildrensalliance.org for more information. ​

The 988 National Suicide and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline was launched nationally and in Ohio on July 16, 2022. From that day forward, Ohioans can call 988 for any behavioral health crisis. While national and statewide 988 public awareness campaigns will not begin until 2023, local public-serving organizations and community agencies can consider opportunities to educate their residents about the 988 service. OhioMHAS and SAMHSA have made several resources available to help communities and stakeholders share information about 988. More information can be found at: Ohio Resources - https://mha.ohio.gov/988 National SAMHSA Toolkit - https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/988/partner-toolkit When to Call 988 vs When to Call 911 - https://mha.ohio.gov/static/AboutUs/Priorities/988vs911.pdf SAMHSA just released new 988 printable wallet cards, magnets, posters, and safety plan forms on the Partner Toolkit. SAMHSA provides organizations the ability to order limited supplies from the SAMHSA Store.

The Ohio Children’s Alliance is proud to announce six (6) community mental health agencies were selected to develop and expand therapeutic child care services for Ohio children. This funding opportunity, made possible by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association, and American Rescue Plan Act dollars, aims to fill a critical void for children and families. “Our state has a significant shortage in child care centers specializing in supporting social and emotional development of children,” said Mark Mecum, Ohio Children’s Alliance CEO. “These funded programs will be a new avenue to connect kids with evidence-based mental health services. The programs are a collaboration between child care and mental health centers and are designed to support the whole child.” The selected grant awardees possess proven records of excellence in child and family services and are leaders in evidence-based behavioral health delivery. Awarded agencies include: Best Point Nationwide Children’s Hospital TheraPeds Bellefaire JCB Harbor The Village Network

The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) will hold the annual public forum on the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) 1115 Demonstration Waiver during the upcoming SUD 1115 Stakeholder Advisory Committee. The meeting will be held virtually at 1:00 p.m. on Aug. 16. The public forum will open immediately following the regular agenda of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee. During the public forum, any interested party is invited to offer comments on any aspect of the waiver. Written comments may also be submitted before or after the public forum. Any interested party may attend the Aug. 16 meeting via the Aug. 16 SAC Meeting Link. Instructions to provide written comments before or after the public forum: Written comments or questions may be sent via email to MCD_SUD1115@medicaid.ohio.gov. PLEASE NOTE: Beginning Aug. 16, all SUD 1115 Stakeholder Advisory Committee meetings will be held via Microsoft Teams (not via GoToWebinar). Any questions regarding this communication may be submitted to BH-Enroll@medicaid.ohio.gov.

One month after the deadly elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, Congress passed a bipartisan bill crafted to prevent future school shootings. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bill 234-193 on June 24, following the Senate’s 65-33 vote on June 23. The legislation will support and expand access to community-based services nationwide and provide substantial new investments in mental health, school safety, and state-led crisis intervention programs. Here are a few highlights: Requires technical assistance and guidance from HHS on how states can improve access to telehealth for services under Medicaid and CHIP Requires guidance to state Medicaid agencies, education agencies, and school-based entities regarding the delivery of Medicaid/CHIP services to beneficiaries in school-based settings, including a comprehensive list of best practices and examples of methods to pay for and increase the availability of Medicaid. Establishes a Federal Clearinghouse on School Safety Evidence-based Practices to identify and publish evidence-based best practices and recommendations to support a positive and safe learning environment. Restructures Health Surveillance and Program support

July is Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, an opportunity for us to call attention to the unique mental health struggles racial and ethnic communities face. Throughout the month, the HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH) will focus on promoting tools and resources addressing the stigma about mental health among racial and ethnic minority populations, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. OMH encourages state, tribal, and local leaders, community-based organizations, faith leaders, healthcare providers and individuals to educate your communities regarding mental health stigma. Visit this web page during National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month for shareable social media messages, downloadable graphics, and health resources. Additionally, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing will share resources, original content and learning opportunities to raise awareness and keep you informed. Visit our “Addressing Health Equity and Racial Justice” resource directory to get started!

In preparation for the launch of OhioRISE, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) and Aetna have made some changes to clarify Aetna’s practitioner modifier requirements for professional and outpatient claims. With the implementation of this update in Aetna’s billing requirements, Aetna will not require the previously announced practitioner modifiers on the following types of claims (unless the rendering practitioner holds multiple licenses or credentials with differing scope of practice): Community mental health agency claims (provider type 84). Community substance use disorder treatment provider claims (provider type 95). OhioRISE care management entity (CME) claims. Other professional and behavioral health services are reimbursed in accordance with Appendix DD of Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) rule 5160-1-60 (this includes BH services rendered by providers other than community MH/SUD agencies). Outpatient hospital claims submitted for Enhanced Ambulatory Patient Groups (EAPG) reimbursement. In alignment with ODM fee-for-service policy, Aetna will require practitioner modifiers on outpatient hospital claims submitted for Outpatient Hospital Behavioral Health (OPHBH) reimbursement. Aetna’s OPHBH practitioner modifier requirements will mirror ODM’s fee-for-service requirements. Until Aetna is able to reconfigure its claims engine to incorporate these changes, they will need to process some claims manually. However, providers will not be required to resubmit or adjust claims at a later date if their claims are processed manually because of Aetna’s reconfiguration timeline.

Ohio’s first-ever Youth and Family Ombudsmen Office recently began operations. The office, a recommendation of Governor Mike DeWine’s Children’s Services Transformation Advisory Council Final Report, is housed in the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The office consists of both a Youth Ombudsman and a Family Ombudsman, who will ensure the independent and impartial review of youth, family, and community complaints and concerns, while attempting to resolve the issues. Jenny R. Stotts will serve as the first-ever Youth Ombudsman, while Jennifer A. Sheriff will serve as the first-ever Family Ombudsman. Youth wishing to bring a matter before the Youth Ombudsman can call 1-877-649-6884 or 1-877-OH-YOUTH, Monday –Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. They can also submit their concern online at YouthOmbudsman.ohio.gov. Individuals or families wishing to report unresolved concerns to the Family Ombudsman can call 1-877-649-6884 or 1-877-OH-YOUTH, Monday –Friday between the hours of 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. They can also submit their concern online at FamilyOmbudsman.ohio.gov.

Two bills are currently moving through the legislative process that would support the child and family services workforce. Ohio Senate Bill (SB) 131, sponsored by Senators Roegner and McColley, which would require Ohio to have occupational licensing reciprocity with other states, has passed out of the Senate unanimously. The legislation would allow out-of-state licensees in good standing to obtain an Ohio license to practice their profession. It would require applicable licensure boards, including the CSWMFT Board, to grant a license to an applicant with an existing out-of-state license if certain conditions are met. You can find more about the legislation here. It now moves to the House for consideration. ____________________________________________________________________________________________ Legislation that would redesign requirements for certain foster care agency staff was signed by the Governor. Sponsored by State Senator Louis Blessing III, (R-Colerain Township) Senate Bill (SB) 239, would change the prerequisites for becoming a treatment caseworker. In Ohio’s foster care system, “professional treatment staff" are the direct service workers providing in-home supports to children in treatment foster homes. This bill will modify the current requirements for private agency treatment staff to include similar prerequisites available to public agency staff. Ohio Children’s Alliance members were integral to the passage of the legislation and join us in celebrating the good work of our state government leaders. The challenges facing our foster care and behavioral health systems today require reconsideration of the licensure requirements for professional treatment staff. Our state continues to maintain near record numbers of children entering foster care needing additional supports. This legislation is a powerful tool in closing this gap while maintaining vigorous quality standards. “We extend our sincere gratitude to Senator Blessing, the state legislature, and the Governor for the passage of this important legislation. The new law expands Ohio's treatment foster care workforce at a critical time,” said Mark Mecum, Ohio Children’s Alliance CEO. SB 239 was signed by Governor DeWine on June 14, 2022 and becomes effective on September 12, 2022. The bill also initially contained a provision expanding home study assessor eligibility in Ohio which was later made law through House Bill (HB) 4. HB 4 became effective on May 30, 2022.

The Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse, which was created to conduct reviews of research on programs and services providing enhanced prevention supports to children and families as a result of FFPSA, recently released 3 new Fact Sheets. These resources provide answers to common questions about the review process timeline, study eligibility, and study design and execution ratings. The Review Process: Navigating Timeline Challenges aims to describe factors that influence the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse review process timeline and identify steps that study authors and program or service developers can take to help ensure a timely review process. How Does the Prevention Services Clearinghouse Determine Which Studies Are Reviewed? describes how the Clearinghouse determines whether a study of a particular program or service is eligible for review and identifies common reasons that studies are not eligible for review. How Does the Prevention Services Clearinghouse Determine Which Studies Are Reviewed? explains how the Clearinghouse determines whether a study of a particular program or service is eligible for review and identifies common reasons that studies are not eligible for review. You can learn more about the Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse here.

The Ohio Department of Medicaid has recently shared the following updates to several of its manuals: The Ohio Department of Medicaid posted an updated Medicaid Behavioral Health Provider Manual HERE. Updates include the addition of new Medicaid services effective July 1, 2022, and updated resource guides. Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) CANS is comprised of one new billing code, H2000. The CANS is a support tool in the clinical decision-making process to determine eligibility into OhioRISE and level of care and service planning. Qualified CANS assessors must obtain the Ohio Children’s Initiative CANS Assessor Certification and request the “ORC” specialty be added to their individual practitioner Medicaid enrollment. More information about CANS assessor certification can be found HERE. Billing requirements and payment rates can be found in Table 2-12 in the BH Provider Manual and also in the OhioRISE Provider Enrollment and Billing Guide mentioned below. Mobile Response and Stabilization Service (MRSS) MRSS is comprised of three distinct billing codes: S9485 – Crisis Mobile Response S9484 – Crisis Mobile Response Follow-up S9482 – Stabilization Service Provider agencies must be certified by OhioMHAS to render MRSS, and they must also request that the “ORM” specialty be added to their agency’s Medicaid enrollment file to bill Ohio Medicaid. Providers should refer to 5160-27-13 and the OhioMHAS MRSS practice standards for more details regarding MRSS activities and team member qualifications. Billing requirements and payment rates can be found in Tables 2-13, 2-14, and 2-15 in the BH provider manual. Other Updated Resources on BH.Medicaid.Ohio.Gov: The following documents have been updated: ACT-IHBT Services Combination Table Dual Licensure Grid ICD-10 Diagnosis Code List Services Coding Workbook Supervisor, Rendering Ordering Fields Provider Enrollment and Billing Guidance Issued for OhioRISE In preparation for the launch of OhioRISE on July 1, 2022, the Ohio Department of Medicaid has developed an OhioRISE Provider Enrollment and Billing Guide. The OhioRISE program covers a range of behavioral health services for youth that are comprised of existing, enhanced, and new behavioral health and care coordination services. This guide is intended to share policies related to billing for the new and enhanced OhioRISE services. Existing behavioral health services will be covered in accordance with the OhioRISE Mixed Services Protocol and will be billed consistent with the billing policies outlined in the appropriate provider type billing guidelines. This guidance can be found HERE on the OhioRISE website.

During the COVID-19 pandemic Ohio families faced unprecedented new stresses, fears, and anxieties. Community behavioral health providers and patients were left to navigate these challenges in new, creative ways. Thus, telehealth immediately rose as the primary service delivery modality for behavioral health services, which challenged policymakers to re-consider federal and state policies on the allowable use of telehealth and virtual-based services. In light of these changing policies, many now made permanent, many questions have arisen regarding the impact and status of state agency, licensure board, and legislative action. As a result, we created a Telehealth Whitepaper addressing these changes as they have progressed, as well as what this means for Ohio providers and the families they serve moving forward.

When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged, the public health crisis created the perfect storm for child and family services providers and the communities they serve. Ohio families faced unprecedented new stresses, fears, and anxieties, leaving children services and behavioral health providers to navigate these challenges in new, creative ways. Systems already struggling to keep up with demand were completely overwhelmed, and this gave way to a full-blown workforce shortage crisis. The Ohio Children’s Alliance turned to its 70+ members across the state to hear directly from them how the pandemic affected their agencies’ workforce and what it meant for their clients. To do this, we created a comprehensive survey for our providers to share their insights. Those results serve as the foundation for the report we are now able to share: Ohio Child and Family Service Workforce Crisis: Key Findings and Solutions. This report highlights the cracks that have been exacerbated and newly formed by the COVID-19 pandemic and what needs to be done to fix them. Our agencies have worked tirelessly to find and share innovative retention and recruitment efforts, ways to increase administrative efficiencies, and methods of utilizing new technologies to reach more families without expanding their workforce. However, they can’t do it alone. We need dynamic, multi-faceted solutions to combat the workforce shortage crisis and meet the demands of families desperately asking for our help. We call on state leaders as well as public and private sector partners to commit to and communicate support for behavioral health and children services delivery. Licensure reform, eliminating excessive bureaucracy, and investing in our providers is the only way forward to reverse the dangerous trends that have emerged in our workforce. The Ohio Children’s Alliance seeks to create a better path forward for Ohio’s kids and their caregivers. When our providers are supported, when they have adequate pay and benefits, when they are free from bureaucratic inefficiency, families and communities win.

BroadbandOhio is currently soliciting proposals for a statewide telehealth administrator to help continue Governor Mike DeWine’s efforts to expand telehealth throughout the state in Ohio’s K-12 School System. On March 20, 2020 Governor DeWine announced the launch of a telehealth pilot project to connect students with behavioral health providers in the Switzerland of Ohio School District in Monroe County. The objective is to connect the school district with behavioral health services while also providing high-speed internet connections to Ohioans who have been left behind. The project is currently in Phase Two, and is operational in two school districts. To learn more about this project, please visit: https://innovateohio.gov/priorities/resources/broadband/telehealth-blueprint. BroadbandOhio is currently requesting proposals from contractors to provide the technical expertise to help update existing technology infrastructure in school settings to high quality, real-time, secure video conferencing technology in schools and has the experience or can partner with an entity that has the experience, to facilitate and obtain behavioral health services from OhioMHAS-certified community behavioral health providers. Responses are due by 2 p.m. on June 21.

Senators Rob Portman (OH) along with Tammy Baldwin (WI) have reintroduced the Treatment Family Care Services Act, which seeks to increase access to treatment family care services, including by requiring HHS to issue guidance outlining opportunities for states to fund treatment family care services through Medicaid, the Payments for Foster Care and Permanency program, or other HHS programs. In Treatment Family Care (TFC) care, guardians, foster parents, and caregivers are given special training to address the needs of youths with major mental health challenges and children receive intensive in-home services to sustain them in the community. TFC provides critical services to nearly 50,000 children across the country, working to keep particularly vulnerable youth out of costly and sometimes ineffective residential and congregate care and providing needed clinical therapy options to youth instead of overmedication. The Treatment Family Care Services Act would provide states with clear guidance on federal TFC standards under the Medicaid program and other available federal funding streams. Learn more about the Legislation here.

Secretary Xavier Becerra of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced an extension of the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) for an additional 90 days. Effective April 16, 2022, this extension marks the continuation of several temporary authorities afforded under the PHE. Read a summary outlining the Medicare- and Medicaid-specific flexibilities afforded under the COVID-19 PHE. The public health emergency was initially declared in January 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic began. It has been renewed each quarter since and was due to expire on April 16, 2020. HHS said in a statement that it was extending the public health emergency and that it will give states 60 days' notice prior to termination or expiration. It has been speculated that this may be the last extension of the PHE. This renewal extends the wide array of waivers and flexibilities that have been issued by HHS in response to COVID-19, including the scale-up of telehealth visits, emergency approval of new drugs and tests, and new flexibility for government-run health insurance programs.