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Baker-Polito Administration Selects 20 Community Partners for MassHealth Accountable Care Organizations

BOSTON — Today the Baker-Polito Administration announced that 20 Community Partners across the Commonwealth have been selected as partners for the 17 MassHealth Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Massachusetts recently received federal approval through its 1115 demonstration (“waiver”) to refine the Accountable Care Organization (ACOs) and Community Partners programs over the next five years.

December 2022

Read the original article at EIN Newswire

BOSTON — Today the Baker-Polito Administration announced that 20 Community Partners across the Commonwealth have been selected as partners for the 17 MassHealth Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Massachusetts recently received federal approval through its 1115 demonstration (“waiver”) to refine the Accountable Care Organization (ACOs) and Community Partners programs over the next five years.

In November, MassHealth selected 17 ACOs for new five-year contracts and is now selecting Community Partners for the new contract term. Community Partners work together with ACOs to support MassHealth members with significant behavioral health and complex long-term services and supports needs.

“Integrating the full health care needs of MassHealth members with complex health conditions remains a primary goal in the next phase of the Commonwealth’s healthcare delivery restructuring,” said Secretary for Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders. “Community Partners play an essential role in delivering coordinated care for MassHealth members, including individuals with disabilities, mental illness, substance misuse disorders and co-occurring disorders.”

“The Community Partners are community-based organizations with expertise in working with members with disabilities or significant behavioral health needs,” said Assistant Secretary for MassHealth Amanda Cassel Kraft. “The organizations selected as Community Partners will work with ACOs to ensure that members receive the behavioral health and long-term care supports they need. MassHealth looks forward to our continued partnership with these organizations as a key part of our ongoing efforts to improve health outcomes and advance health equity.”

Over the last three years, the Community Partners program has shown a reduction in ER visits by 21%, a reduction in behavioral health admissions by 30%, and a reduction in risk-adjusted total cost of care by 20%. The Behavioral Health Community Partners program complements the Commonwealth’s Roadmap for Behavioral Health Reform, which significantly expands access to mental health and addiction treatment.

The goals of the Community Partners program for the next five years include:

  • Re-affirming MassHealth’s commitment to community-based outreach and care coordination for the highest-risk members, leveraging the expertise of community-based organizations;
  • Continuing to incentivize integration of care across physical health, behavioral health, long-term services and supports, and health-related social needs;
  • Strengthening Community Partners’ accountability for outcomes and standardizing expectations for the delivery of care coordination supports; and
  • Simplifying and streamlining the relationships between Community Partners and ACOs.

Today’s announcement includes the selection of 12 Behavioral Health and eight Long-Term Services and Supports Community Partner organizations. The Community Partners selected will contract with MassHealth as Qualified Vendors. MassHealth ACOs and managed care organizations will contract directly with Community Partner organizations, improving integration and care coordination for MassHealth members.

The selected Long-Term Services and Supports Community Partners are:

  1. Behavioral Health Network, Inc.
  2. Boston Medical Center Corp. 
  3. Center for Human Development 
  4. Community Care Partners, LLC 
  5. Family Service Association of Greater Fall River, Inc 
  6. Greater Lynn Senior Services 
  7. Open Sky Community Services     
  8. Seven Hills Family Services 

The selected Behavioral Health Community Partners are:

  1. Behavioral Health Network, Inc.
  2. Behavioral Health Partners of MetroWest 
  3. Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program, Inc. 
  4. The Brien Center 
  5. Center for Human Development 
  6. Clinical and Support Options, Inc. 
  7. Community Care Partners, LLC 
  8. Community Counseling of Bristol County 
  9. Eliot Community Human Services, Inc 
  10. Open Sky Community Services 
  11. Riverside Community Care, Inc 
  12. Stanley Street Treatment and Resources, Inc.

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