Special Considerations for COVID-19 Emergency

Questions about COVID-19? Visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH for answers.

• Medicaid emergency rule expands telehealth services. Click HERE for more information.
• The OAC rules for OhioMHAS and ODM can be found at the following:
  • OhioMHAS: 5122-29-31 Interactive Videoconferencing (rule amendment)
  • ODM: 5160-1-21 Telehealth during a state of emergency and its appendix (new rule)
• Training: Delivering Behavioral Health Services Via Telehealth
  • April 2, 2020: View the Slides | View the April 2nd Webinar Recording
  • August 27, 2020: View the Slides | View the August 27th Webinar Recording
• Telehealth FAQs available HERE. MITS Bits available HERE.
• Telehealth billing codes for provider type 84s and 95s available HERE.

Email Contact

• For questions related to changes to OhioMHAS interactive videoconferencing policy as well as questions related to clinical and technical implementation of telehealth, please email COVID19BHTelehealth@mha.ohio.gov.
• Questions about the Medicaid coverage, billing, and reimbursement under the new policy can be submitted to BH-Enroll@medicaid.ohio.gov.

Additional Resources

• Click HERE for Health Professional and Provider Information.

Substance Use Disorder Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver

ODM and OhioMHAS held (via webinar) a Public Forum on Thursday, July 16, 2020, to receive input from any interested party regarding Ohio's Medicaid SUD 1115 Waiver.

• 7/16 Slide Deck Presentation
• Public Forum Webinar Recording

The SUD 1115 Waiver was approved by CMS on September 24, 2019.
Approval documents from CMS and the Governor's Office news release are available below:

• CMS Approval letter
• CMS Approved Waiver application and Implementation Plan:
• Governor's Office News Release

For more information, view the SUD 1115 webpage.

Behavioral Health Stakeholder Updates and Discussion Resource Materials

The Ohio Department of Medicaid and Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services sponsored stakeholder update and discussion sessions on , May 29, 2019 and July 23, 2019. The meeting provided an overview of the DeWine Administration's vision, values, and priorities and gave updates on the outcome of Ohio's Biennial Budget for SFY 2020-2021.

View the resource materials here.

BH Care Coordination

Ohio Medicaid's Behavioral Health Care Coordination program will not begin on July 1, 2019. The Ohio Departments of Medicaid and Mental Health and Addiction Services are still moving forward with care coordination for individuals with behavioral health conditions in an expedient way. We are revisiting our strategy and the program's design within the context of Governor DeWine's priorities, the RecoveryOhio initiative, and our ongoing work on behavioral health redesign.

For more information, view the BHCC webpage.