General Provisions

Section 148.800  General Provisions This Subpart F is promulgated to establish an emergency psychiatric demonstration project (hereinafter referred to as the Program) to serve adults 21 through 64 years of age with specified mental illnesses.  The State of Illinois was selected by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMS) to establish the Program pursuant to the provisions of section 2707 of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PL 111-148) and subject to the terms of federal demonstration.  The program, entitled Community Connect, shall be in effect from December 1, 2012 through June 30, 2015 or for the duration of federal funding should it end earlier.  During that time period, participating non-governmental Community Connect IMD hospitals may receive Medicaid payment for providing EMTALA (Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act) related emergency services to Medicaid recipients 21 through 64 years of age who have expressed suicidal or homicidal thoughts or gestures or who are determined to be dangerous to themselves or others.  The Program will promote an integrated approach to evidence-based community resources and emergency room and inpatient hospital care.  The Program goals are to improve access to quality inpatient care, reduce unnecessary admissions and readmissions, reduce psychiatric boarding, and enhance coordination of services with community mental health centers.  The Department will assess the results of the Program during and at the end of the demonstration. The assessment will be the basis to guide changes for the larger adult population with mental illness, such as potential restructuring of mental health targeted case management; potential adult screening of persons with mental illness presenting for psychiatric hospitalization; potential payment and incentive policies; and potential broad implementation of improved interventions by the hospital and community.