U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Integrated Care for Kids (InCK)

The Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) Model provides funding opportunities to states and local organizations to test whether payment supporting integrated service delivery across behavioral health, physical health, and other child services reduces Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) expenditures and improves the quality of care for covered children. The InCK Model will assist states and local communities in addressing priority health concerns for children, such as behavioral health challenges, including opioid and other substance use, and the effects of opioid use on families.

Grants will support awardees in developing state-specific pediatric alternative payment models (APMs) that incorporate provider accountability and focus on meaningful improvements in care quality and health outcomes. Successful awardees will use model funding to support infrastructure investments and activities necessary to support model planning and operations including (but not limited to): state and local investments in information technology, strategic planning and analysis for model design, model operations and staffing, and federal evaluation activities.

The InCK Model aims to empower states and local organizations to 1) Improve performance on priority measures of child health, including rates of substance and opiate use; 2) Reduce avoidable inpatient hospitalizations and out-of-home placements resulting from issues such as family instability driven by substance use; and 3) Create sustainable Alternative Payment Models (APMs) that ensure provider accountability for cost and quality outcomes. To achieve these goals, the InCK Model uses the following mechanisms:

• Early identification and treatment through population-level surveillance, assessment, and risk stratification of children with multiple physical, behavioral, or other health-related needs and risk factors.
• Integrated care coordination and case management across physical health, behavioral health, and other local service providers for children with health needs that impact their functioning in schools, communities, and homes: a) Coordination of child health services across Medicaid and CHIP physical and behavioral health providers and federal, state, and local child services (e.g., schools, child welfare agencies, child nutrition programs); and b) Intensive, team-based case management for children at-risk for, or already in, out-of-home placement.
• Development of state-specific APMs that align payment with care quality and support accountability for improved child health outcomes and long-term health system sustainability: a) State participants in the InCK Model will work with local providers to tailor innovative payment approaches to their local contexts and priorities. Potential approaches include episode-based, shared savings, and population-based payment arrangements that incorporate meaningful quality measures and are designed in a manner that incents providers to adopt high-value, patient-centered practices.

Amount: Approximately eight cooperative agreements of up to $16,000,000 per award will be made. Funding will be awarded over a total model period of 7 years. The funding period is divided into two parts: a two year pre-implementation period spanning years 1-2 of the model and a five year performance period spanning years 3-7 of the model.

Eligibility: City or township governments; county governments; faith-based organizations; for profit organizations; independent school districts; Native American tribal organizations; nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS; public and state controlled institutions of higher education; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; small businesses; special district governments; and state governments.

Link: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=312759

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