KFF-Medicaid Policy Options for Meeting the Needs of Adults with Mental Illness under the ACA

This paper examines the pertinent issues raised in a November 2010 roundtable discussion of national and state experts convened by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, in partnership with the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, to discuss Medicaid policy options available under the ACA to help meet the needs of adults with mental illness.The ACA will expand Medicaid in 2014, offering the opportunity to improve access to care for millions of Americans with mental health disorders. States face considerable decisions about designing benefits, structuring service delivery and conducting outreach and enrollment for the mental health population--a population that has unique health and social service needs. This KFF report highlights key policy opportunities and challenges related to these decisions.