MDHHS announces enhancements to improve substance use disorder treatment access

New mapping tool helps residents find treatment and recovery providers

LANSING, Mich. - To help improve access for individuals seeking substance use disorder treatment (SUD) options, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has developed several new enhancements to programs and a new mapping tool to help individuals across Michigan better access SUD treatment.

"I am especially proud of the work we have done to expand access to substance use disorder treatment," said Elizabeth Hertel, MDHHS director. "Expanding Health Home services, ensuring reimbursement for alcohol use disorder treatment in primary care settings, and building a new tool for residents to find treatment and recovery locations across the state are just a few examples of how the department is continuing to build access and treatment options for Michigan residents."

SUD mapping tool launched

MDHHS has launched a new tool that will identify licensed SUD treatment and recovery locations through a geographic search, available on the MDHHS website. Providers can be searched by ZIP code, city or county as well as type of services needed including inpatient, outpatient and medication- assisted treatment and if the provider accepts Medicaid.

Health Home services expanded

Health Homes are a proven model to increase access to coordinated and integrated care. They are centered on whole-person, team-based care, with peer recovery coaches at the center of care.

To help ensure more Michigan residents are eligible for Health Home services, MDHHS has transitioned Opioid Health Homes to SUD Health Homes and added the diagnoses of Alcohol Use Disorder and Stimulant Use Disorder to broaden eligibility for services.

• In FY 2023, 23,270 women entered treatment for substance use disorders. Of that number, 592 were pregnant.
• In FY2023, 29,472 people entered treatment for primary alcohol use disorder. Multiple regions of the state report that alcohol is the primary substance of abuse for people seeking treatment.

  "The expansion of the Substance Use Disorder Health Home has allowed us to increase our enrollment and provide much needed care coordination services while improving our beneficiaries' social determinants of health, said Branislava Arsenov, chief clinical officer of Northern Michigan Regional Entity. "These early enrollment trends speak to the need to grow this benefit in Northern Michigan to improve recovery outcomes and increase opportunities for beneficiaries and communities."

  SUD Health Homes are also now a statewide benefit as the services have expanded to seven new counties - Allegan, Kent, Lake, Mason, Muskegon, Oceana and Ottawa counties. These changes are expected to expand services to up to an additional 3,000 individuals.

  Medicaid changes increase opportunities for services
  
  Within the Medicaid program, policy and reimbursement changes have led to more robust opportunities for individuals to receive care in their communities. Reimbursement has been expanded for office-based treatment for alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorder in the primary care setting. Additionally, the prior authorization requirement to prescribe medications to treat opioid use disorder (MOUD) for Medicaid beneficiaries has been removed, allowing for a 20% increase in the last four years of the number MOUDs prescribed by primary care physicians.

  Over the past few years, MDHHS has also taken these additional actions to improve access to SUD treatment in Michigan:

• Expanded the number of Medicaid SUD providers by removing barriers for providers and offering incentives such as loan repayment to launch or expand services.
• Worked with physicians to increase the number of buprenorphine prescribers in the state.
• Launched early intervention treatment and referrals in select Federally Qualified Health Centers, Rural Health Clinics and Child and Adolescent Health Centers.
• Improved the system of care for pregnant individuals in northern Michigan by providing support and education for physicians in the Opioid Home Health network.
• Supported substance-exposed babies and their families by expanding supports through rooming-in, which allows birthing individuals, caregivers and babies with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome to stay together during treatment.
• Collaborated with Michigan Department of Corrections to support peers in parole/probation offices to assist individuals returning from incarceration.
• Provided more than 20,000 rides for SUD-related services. Transportation has been identified as a barrier in almost every community engagement related to SUD.
• Partnered with Michigan State Housing Development Authority to expand recovery housing to help meet the statewide demand. This resulted in an additional 27 recovery homes with 79 additional recovery beds, prioritizing counties and populations with the highest need.
• Expanded opioid treatment capacity at 10 Michigan Department of Corrections prisons which provide medications for opioid use disorder to 884 incarcerated individuals.

More information about programming and resources can be found on the SUD Resources website. Information about how the state's Opioid Healing and Recovering Fund is being spent can be found on the opioids settlement website.

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