Overview

Behavioral Health Plans (BHPs) that intend to participate in the BH-CONNECT Mental Health (MH) Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) Federal Financial Participation (FFP) Program are required to submit an IMD FFP Plan, as outlined in BHIN 25-011. A BHP cannot access FFP for care provided in IMDs until the BHP's IMD FFP Plan is approved by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).

Through the IMD FFP Plan, participating BHPs will describe how they will meet requirements from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and DHCS that apply to delivery of mental health care in IMDs, care coordination, and access to a full continuum of supportive services. DHCS will use the information in this IMD FFP Plan to help ensure CMS requirements are being met.

BHPs may opt into the MH IMD FFP Program on a rolling basis by submitting the IMD FFP Plan. Only one IMD FFP Plan is required per BHP for the duration of the IMD FFP Program. For further information on program requirements and federal regulations, please refer to BHIN 25-011, which includes references to the BH-CONNECT Special Terms and Conditions (STCs) and existing authorities.

Find more information about BH-CONNECT on the DHCS website. Reach out to BH-CONNECT@dhcs.ca.gov if you have any questions.

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