Mental-health treatment expanded under Medicaid

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration Tuesday allowed states to provide more inpatient treatment for people with serious mental illness by tapping Medicaid, a potentially far-reaching move to address issues from homelessness to violence.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar made the announcement Tuesday in a speech to state Medicaid directors, a group that represents Republican and Democratic officials from around the country who are confronting common, deeply rooted social problems.

A longstanding federal law has barred Medicaid from paying for mental-health treatment in facilities with more than 16 beds, to prevent “warehousing” of the mentally ill at the expense of federal taxpayers. Azar said states will now be able to seek waivers from that restriction, provided they can satisfy certain specific requirements.

“We have the worst of both worlds: limited access to inpatient treatment and limited access to other options,” said Azar, who stressed that inpatient care has to be combined with communitybased services.

“Given the history, it is the responsibility of state and federal governments together, alongside communities and families, to right this wrong,” Azar added. “More treatment options are needed, and that includes more inpatient and residential options that can help stabilize Americans with serious mental illness.”

Matt Salo, executive director of the National Association of Medicaid Directors, called it “a hugely welcome development” that will help states build out a range of services for the mentally ill.