Michigan has received half-a-million dollars to expand its integrated care program for Medicaid beneficiaries.
The program provides both physical and mental health care services to Medicaid beneficiaries with serious mental or emotional health problems.
The pilot program currently serves roughly 100 people in Grand Traverse and Manistee counties.
Lynn Sutfin is a spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
“This additional funding is going to allow us to modernize and expand into more counties in that area and provide services for an estimated 3-4,000 more Michiganders,” Sutfin said.
She said the pilot program helped put patients and their providers in conversation about both their physical and mental health needs.
“So everybody is on the same page they know this individuals health history as well as behavior health history so whatever one is doing the other knows this is how it needs to be addressed.”
According to Sutfin enrollees in the pilot program have reduced hospital lengths of stay, used with more preventative care, and attend more follow up appointments with doctors.
It’s possible, Sutfin said that the program could eventually expand state-wide.
The $500,000 grant comes from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.