The Mississippi Division of Medicaid’s policy for psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) is open for comment. Anyone, including families of children who have been in PRTFs, can comment on the policy or make suggestions about it.
Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility means “any non-hospital establishment with permanent facilities which provides a twenty-four (24) hour program of care by qualified therapists …… for emotionally disturbed children and adolescents ….who are not in an acute phase of illness requiring the services of a psychiatric hospital, and are in need of such restorative treatment services.” These are the Mississippi PRTFs that can receive Medicaid reimbursement: CARES Center, The Crossings, Crossroads, Diamond Grove, Millcreek (Magee), Millcreek (Pontotoc), Parkwood PRTF, Specialized Treatment Facility, and Youth Villages. Canopy Cove Eating Disorder Treatment Center and Timber Ridge Ranch are out-of-state PRTFs that can be accessed if recommended by the State Level Case Review team.
The PRTF policy that is open for comment is about treatment planning. Pages 1-3 of the document are the new proposed policy. Pages 4-6 are what Medicaid proposes to delete from (the crossed-out sentences) and add to (the underlined sentences) current policy. Medicaid describes these as “minor changes,” including changes to make the policy consistent with the Mississippi State Department of Health Minimum Standards for PRTFs.
You can comment about the proposed changes or the policy in general. Remember, if your child has been in a PRTF, you know something vital that no one else knows: you know what did and did not help your child. Sharing your thoughts about how PRTFs can be most helpful to children and families gives Medicaid valuable information to make good decisions.
Families as Allies submitted these comments about the policy. We believe our recommendations would make the policy more helpful to families and children. We also think our recommendations would make the policy more consistent with state law about the system of care, family-driven practice, wraparound care coordination and Making a Plan (MAP) teams.
Public comments are due by March 18, 2022. You can address them to Drew Snyder, Director, Division of Medicaid, DOMPolicy@medicaid.ms.gov. No specific format is required. If you would like additional information about this policy or commenting on it, contact (601) 359-3984 or DOMPolicy@medicaid.ms.gov.
