Courtesy of Kitsap Sun – There are big changes coming to mental health and substance use services around the West Sound next year.
Washington’s ongoing Medicaid transition to “whole-person care” — the last stage of which will be completed next year — will drastically alter the way the state pays for the region’s behavioral services.
The Washington State Health Care Authority says the new system aims to better coordinate services and provide easier access to Medicaid recipients. But the impending changes have raised flags for some local treatment providers, who have questions about funding streams and concerns about potential gaps in vital services.
In particular, organizations like Kitsap Mental Health Services are concerned the new funding system won’t fully cover services for those who don’t have Medicaid, leaving those who are under-insured or uninsured left without the treatment they need.
