East Central Region CEO lays out support plans as state shifts behavioral health to single statewide ASO

Mae Hinchton, chief executive officer of the Mental Health and Disability Services (MHDS) East Central Region, told the Linn County Board of Supervisors the East Central Region will remain the regional authority through June 30 while preparing for a July 1 transfer of behavioral-health responsibilities to a newly selected statewide Administrative Services Organization.

The change follows enactment of House File 2673, which realigned Iowa's mental-health structure and directed the Department of Human Services to procure a single Administrative Services Organization (ASO) for behavioral health. Hinchton said Iowa Primary Care Association (IPCA), a nonprofit based in Des Moines, was selected on Dec. 13 as the statewide ASO and that the law also transfers disability access point responsibilities into a new Aging and Disability Services Bureau inside HHS.

Hinchton said the region submitted a proposal to be the disability access point and was invited to make a bidders presentation; an announcement was expected from HHS this week on whether the East Central Region would be named for District 7, multiple districts, or statewide. She said roughly 200 county staff statewide and 34 staff in the East Central Region could be affected by the transition, and that the region cannot sustain all current positions under the new statewide structure.

Hinchton summarized the East Central Region's immediate priorities approved by the regional governing board: facilitate connections among the new ASO, the region's provider network and staff; maintain integrity and continuity of services through June 30; support staff well-being and provide job-transition assistance; and implement a transition plan that addresses claims processing and financial closeout.

To support staff, Hinchton said the region arranged up to five mental well-being coaching sessions for each employee through the Abbey Center for Community Mental Health, scheduled HR assistance for resume and interview help, set meetings with IPERS and IowaWORKS representatives, and approved a progressive retention-pay plan that pays monthly bonuses for staff who remain through June 30.

Hinchton warned that IPCA told regions it will not offer IPERS benefits to transferred staff. She said that could deter long-tenured county employees from moving to the ASO and that employment questions remain unresolved. She added that HHS has required regions to submit a transition plan by April 1; HHS has said transition activities may be allowed for up to six months, through Dec. 31.

Hinchton described changes to how commitment costs will be handled under the ASO: counties will choose whether to pay commitment-related expenses (mental-health advocates, attorneys and sheriff transport) up front and invoice the ASO for reimbursement, or invoice the ASO directly; she said that choice will create a "pay and chase" cash-flow issue for counties and that supervisors should budget for likely up-front payments in the first quarter after July 1.

Supervisor Rogers and other board members praised the region's planning and asked staff to review county contracts where Linn County is the employer of record, to reduce future unemployment and liability risk. Hinchton said the East Central Region will continue working with IPCA and HHS to support providers, staff and people receiving services during the transition.

Mae Hinchton's full remarks and the region's priority documents were presented during the board meeting; she said the region will update county supervisors as new details emerge and when the disability access-point announcement is made.