Medicaid.
Medicaid covers a variety of behavioral health services, which can vary by state due to the flexibility states have in designing their Medicaid programs. Generally, Medicaid coverage for behavioral health includes services that address mental health conditions and substance use disorders (SUD). Here’s an overview of the types of services.
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Medicaid Typically Covers, in the realm of Behavioral Health:
Mental Health Services
Outpatient Therapy and Counseling: This includes individual, group, and family therapy sessions provided by licensed mental health professionals.
Psychiatric Services: Medicaid often covers psychiatric evaluations, medication management, and follow-up care with psychiatrists.
Case Management: Services to help individuals access medical, social, educational, and other services that support mental health.
Crisis Intervention: Immediate and short-term assistance for individuals experiencing a mental health crisis.
Peer Support Services: Support services provided by individuals with lived experience of mental illness or addiction, designed to help others in recovery.
Substance Use Disorder
(SUD) Services
Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOP): Includes counseling, therapy, and treatment designed for individuals with SUD who do not require inpatient care.
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT): Coverage for medications like methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone, used alongside counseling for opioid use disorder.
Recovery Support Services: Programs that help maintain sobriety, including peer support and recovery coaching.
Telehealth Services
Medicaid often covers telehealth for behavioral health, which can include video or phone sessions for therapy, medication management, and counseling. This has been increasingly expanded following the COVID-19 pandemic to improve access to care.
Preventive Services
Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT): This is aimed at early identification of substance use disorders and providing brief interventions to prevent the progression of addiction.
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