Page 14 - 2018 MHT Annual Report

substance use disorders; transitional age youth and adults with acute mental health needs; and adolescents and adults with substance use disorders.”1
The Substance Use Disorder component as proposed in the waiver aims to substantially expand access to substance use treatment, quality of care and improved coordination and transitions between levels of care, among other improvements.
The Trust also supported the department’s efforts developing a request for proposal for a contract with a third party Administrative Services Organization to conduct a comprehensive behavioral health program as a part of ongoing Medicaid reform.
The Trust continues to recognize the importance of Medicaid and positive impacts of Medicaid expansion for Trust beneficiaries to access critical health and behavioral healthcare. Notably, since inception of Medicaid expansion, over 46,000 Alaskans, many of whom are Trust beneficiaries,
have enrolled and are receiving care due to Medicaid expansion.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM
& REINVESTMENT
Trust beneficiaries are at increased risk for involvement with the criminal justice system, both as victims and defendants, due to their disabilities as well as deficiencies in treatment and support systems. Since 2005, the board of trustees has directed staff and funding resources to foster change to appropriately divert beneficiaries from criminal justice when public safety is not at risk and address
the treatment needs of beneficiaries who are incarcerated. Trustees approved $3.97 million for projects and services to appropriately divert beneficiaries away from the criminal justice system and improve service coordination for beneficiaries who are victims of crime.
Beneficiaries account for more than 40 percent of those incarcerated each year, and tend to stay in corrections longer and cycle through the system more frequently. There are many reasons why beneficiaries find themselves in the correctional system. For beneficiaries, often the underlying reason can be related to lack of access to community-based services, treatment and support they need, housing and/or meaningful daily activities.
As an active member of the Alaska Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC), the Trust continues to represent beneficiaries as the state implements criminal justice reform strategies to maintain public safety, reduce criminal recidivism and produce positive outcomes for individuals and communities. Specifically, the ACJC’s behavioral health committee made three recommendations
that were adopted and forwarded to the legislature: (1) Expand data sharing capacity, infrastructure and formalized agreements among agencies, (2) Expand Crisis Intervention Training efforts and include a co- response mental health practitioner element and (3) Develop crisis stabilization centers.
In addition, the Trust also supported other ACJC recommendations for reinvestment directly impacting beneficiaries, specifically:
1. http://dhss.alaska.gov/HealthyAlaska/Pages/PublicComment/1115waiverComment.aspx
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