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Residential Care: Another Perspective. Normer Adams, Executive Director Georgia Association of Homes and Services for Children March 9, 2007. Residential Care: Another Perspective. Subtitles: The Feds have the Power The Given Reason and the Real Reason Your sins will find you out.
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Residential Care: Another Perspective Normer Adams, Executive Director Georgia Association of Homes and Services for Children March 9, 2007
Residential Care: Another Perspective Subtitles: • The Feds have the Power • The Given Reason and the Real Reason • Your sins will find you out. • The Assault on Residential Care
The Assault on Residential Care • 1980 – AACWA- Adoptive Assistance and Child Welfare Act mandated the “least restrictive setting” and “reasonable efforts” made to reunite with families. • System driven by failure • Rigid Service system • Misunderstanding of Residential Care • Unrealistic Expectations of families
The Assault on Residential Care • Child and Family Services Review by HHS • Premiums on shorten lengths of stays • Rigid expectations of families • Residential Care is “care of last resort” regardless of appropriateness of care
The Assault on Residential Care • Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services • Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and 2001 • Driven by Budget Reform • Escalating Costs
The Georgia Perspective • The Rumors Spread • Georgia Hit Early by CMS • Colorado First, Georgia Second by 6 months • 30 States Targeted • S.C. is ID’ed • What are the rumors • What do you want clarified?
The Georgia Perspective • Changes in Residential Care • In 2000 5% foster children in Privatized Care • In 2000 9% were classified as in Therapeutic Care • In 2006 50% of foster children in Privatized Care • In 2006 28% were classified as in Therapeutic Care • In 2000 budget for residential care = $100 million • In 2006 budget for residential care = $300 million
Changes in Georgia • Increased Capacity • 50% increase in group home capacity in 3 years • From 2000 beds to 3000 beds • 600 % in foster care capacity in 3 years • From 400 beds to 2400 beds • Tripling of the budget • From $100 million to $300 million
The Georgia Perspective • Funding Streams • In 2000 – 70% state dollars • In 2006 – 50% state dollars • Shift was made to Medicaid Funding in 2002 • Rehab Option Used • Georgia was late to “game” of using Medicaid • SC used as a model.
Georgia Timeline Year 2000 • Budget Office talked of moving more to Rehab Option for foster care. • Governor in hit hard in media about care of foster children. • Governor forms “Action Committee for Safe Children” • Need to address escalating treatment costs in foster children.
Georgia Timeline Year 2002 • Georgia pilots Level of Care system of services • 6 levels of services in both foster care and congregate care Per Diems • congregate care range from $80 to $320 • Foster care range from $34 to $135 • Medicaid was proposed to pay for per diems
Georgia Timeline Year 2003 • New Republican Governor • A “foster care” Governor • Proposes $200 million in new dollars for foster care. • Half secured through Medicaid Reimbursement • State billed Medicaid for the “treatment services” to foster children.
The Web We Did Weave • All children in private care had a diagnosis. • Level of Care became synonymous with privatized care. • Level of Care was “therapeutic services.” • Openly acknowledged a “gaming of system.” (no one knew who was benefiting.)
From Bad to Worse • Change of Administrations • New Governor • New Commissioner of DHR • New Commissioner of DCH • New State Child Welfare Director • Most from out of Georgia (“ya’ll are NOT from around here, are ya?”)
From Bad to Worse • Institutional Knowledge Lost • No history of community stakeholders • No history of funding strategies • No history of institutional processes • Someone forgot to file a Medicaid Plan
Medicaid 101 • Title XIX of the Social Security Act in 1965 to provide medical assistance to the poor. • Match Program – State and Federal participation • Administered by an State Medicaid Agency • Required to have an approved plan • Required to comply with plan
Medicaid 101 • Each State is to provide monitoring for efficiency, economy and quality of care.
GAO Report – June 2005 • GAO reviewed contingency-fee consultants in the 2 states, Georgia and Massachusetts • From these and other projects, for state fiscal years 2000 through 2004, Georgia obtained an estimated $1.5 billion in additional federal reimbursements • Georgia Paid consultants $82 million
First Signs of Trouble • GAO Report – June 2005 • Rumors about problems with Medicaid circulated fall 2005 • Announcement in March 2006 problems with Medicaid and implementation of the “debundling of services”. Some called it “debuggling.”
CMS Findings All Medicaid payments will be withheld because of the following: • No Medicaid Plan • No Prior Approval of Services • No Oversight of Service provision • Contracting of providers through the Child Welfare Agency
Other findings • Cost shifting of child welfare expenditures to Medicaid • No proof of medical necessity • Some facilities were more than 16 beds and billed as primary in the treatment of mental disease (IMD – Institutions of Mental Disease)
Corrective Action Required by CMS • Actual Services must be documented • Services provided must be an approved Medicaid Service • Clients must have freedom of choice for services • Must have an approved State Plan • Providers must be enrolled through the Medicaid agency • Systemic changes are demanded
Georgia’s Plan • We have “de-bundled” • No more bundling of services paid for by per diem. • No more residential treatment except our specialized psychiatric residential treatment facilities which are licensed as hospitals. (PRTF) • Unlawful • “Gaming the System”
The New System • Room and Board and Watchful Oversight (RBWO) • Three levels of care – Basic, additional oversight and Intensive Oversight • Non therapeutic • Premium services rewarded
Therapy by Therapist • Mental Health Agencies approved to be mental health service providers • Professionals approved to be providers • All treatment will be provided through these providers • 16 providers have made application to be providers.
Mental Health Division • Our mental health division will approve providers and direct service provision for all mental health and behavioral health services. • Audited through a “care management organization” (CMO) • Paid for by our Medicaid Department
Public Health Division • Public Health Division will do all prevention work such as family support, preservation and abuse and neglect prevention.
Foster Care Division • They will provide all child protection services and investigations. • They will provide all placement services and contracting of placement services.
Future of Residential Care Order of Preference for placement (if appropriate) will not be going away. • Family • Relative Care • Foster Care • Congregate Facility
Future of Residential Care • More Home and Community based services • More family and relative care • Less Money • Less Federal Participation
Impact on Association • More Competition, more conflict • Role as prophet versus advocate. • Killing the messenger. • Proactive versus Reactive • Collaboration with State is a must
The Visionary Future • Best Practice for Children and their Families? • Creating a Funding Vision. • How to implement a vision when there is not funding in place. • Role of the Association