County staff to seek contract wording that explicitly includes medical services in MCO agreement

Clallam County staff on March 3 discussed finalizing an agreement with Community Health Plan of Washington to provide Medicaid-managed behavioral-health services — and flagged contract language that county staff and the sheriff want clarified to ensure medical services are explicitly covered where intended.

Health and Human Services staff said the proposed managed-care-organization agreement includes behavioral health and medical services and that credentialing has been underway since last fall. Sheriff’s Office reviewers asked that the contract’s Exhibit A (locations) list both juvenile and jail facility addresses and that language reading “behavioral health services only where applicable” be clarified so it unmistakably covers medical care when intended.

Jay Rina from the county civil department and county counsel advised the board that verbal confirmations from the insurer are insufficient; the sheriff’s recommended clarification must be written into the contract for legal certainty. County counsel further said the written agreement should be updated rather than relying on separate, informal assurances.

Staff said they will seek explicit contract language from the Community Health Plan of Washington, coordinate with the civil attorney and the sheriff’s office, and bring a revised agreement back for board action so billing and credentialing align with the county’s shared‑services plan for juvenile and jail medical and behavioral health services. The board did not take a final vote at the work session.