MassHealth Issues 2 Nursing Facility Bulletins on Enhanced Care Coordination and Transition Support

MassHealth this week issued two Nursing Facility bulletins in regard to Enhanced Care Coordination and Transition Support: Community Transitions Program/NF Bulletin 179 and Behavioral Health Community Partners Supports and DMH Case Transition Management Team for Nursing Facility Residents/NF Bulletin 180.  These bulletins define the expectations for nursing facility providers related to three programs for nursing facility residents: the Community Transition Liaison Program, the Behavioral Health Community Partners Supports Program, and the DMH Case Transition Team for nursing facility residents.

To support the needs of nursing home residents with behavioral needs, the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) this summer will be enhancing the Behavioral Health Community Partners (BHCP) Program, expanding support provided by the DMH Case Management Team, and expanding the Community Transitions Liaison Program (CTLP). These programs will work in a coordinated manner to provide additional support to specific populations, noted below. 

1. The Behavioral Health Community Partners Program (BHCP) will support:
   1. Nursing facility residents authorized to receive services from the Department of Mental Health (DMH)
   2. Nursing facility residents with a positive Level 2 PASRR determination of Serious Mental Illness (SMI) who have received a determination that nursing facility services are appropriate for up to the next 12 months (“12-month determination”)
2. The DMH Case Management Team will support: 
   1. Individuals with a positive Level 2 PASRR determination of SMI who are likely to be discharged within 90 days (“90-day determination”)
3. The Community Transitions Liaison Program (CTLP) will support: 
   1. All other nursing facility residents who are age 22 and older, regardless of diagnosis or insurance type, who are interested in transitioning to the community

MassHealth last month conducted a provider information session on Enhanced Care Coordination and Transition Support. The training materials are available on the LTSS Provider Portal. You can find the materials by clicking the links below.

Training guide 

Recorded version of training