North Carolina has restructured its mental healthcare system to give more authority to the Department of Health and Human Services secretary, Charlotte Public Radio reported Oct. 22.
The state originally shifted from a county-based system to a regional managed care system in 2013, with six local behavioral health management companies offering behavioral health services to uninsured patients and people receiving Medicaid.
Although the move was initially made to both better organize the publicly funded behavioral health system and utilize Medicaid funds more efficiently, lawmakers have failed to control the local groups, leading to resident complaints.
Meanwhile, the 2021 rollout of Medicaid managed care plans put easier-to-treat mental health patients on standardized plans, while residents with severe and persistent mental health problems were supposed to go on "tailored plans." The implementation of these tailored plans has faced multiple delays, however, the report said.
The state budget passed in September includes a large section of policy changes focused on the behavioral health system, which gives the DHHS secretary more control and oversight over the six local management companies — Alliance Health, Eastpointe, Partners Health Management, Sandhills Center, Trillium Health Resources and Vaya Health.