The research team at the School of Social Work’s Addiction Research Institute will conduct an analysis of qualitative and quantitative data on processes and outcomes in the Texas Money Follows the Person Behavioral Health Pilot in order to guide process improvement and inform policy recommendations.
The Behavioral Health Pilot is a federally funded demonstration project in the Texas counties of Bexar, Atascosa, Guadalupe, Wilson, and Travis that provides specialized behavioral health services to help individuals with severe mental illness and / or substance use disorders transition from nursing facilities and live in the community. These services include adult substance abuse treatment and Cognitive Adaptation Training (CAT), a rehabilitative service designed to help the individual establish daily routines, organize their environment, and build social skills. Services are provided up to six months before discharge and for one year post-discharge. The goals of the pilot are to help participants transition from nursing facilities, live successfully in the community and minimize recidivism into the nursing facility. Pilot services are provided in close coordination with other services and supports provided through the State’s STAR+PLUS Medicaid managed care program, and relocation services provided through the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services.