Does DMHA expect that all consumers with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) or Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) will be able to access the services they need through Medicaid?
No. States cannot use Medicaid to cover every service that individuals with mental illness and addiction need, nor is everyone who needs such services eligible for Medicaid. In order to address the need to serve non-Medicaid eligible clients and to fund non-Medicaid services, DMHA will focus on clarifying the role of community mental health centers in providing key safety net functions. Additionally, DMHA will continue to evaluate and recommend the use of the Federal Block Grant and other available funds to provide needed services not covered by Medicaid.
