Trillium Health Resources, the local LME-MCO that now serves as a Medicaid "tailored" plan for high-need behavioral health members, briefed the Moore County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 7 about services, enrollment and early implementation challenges.

The presentation, given to the Board of Commissioners by a Trillium representative, explained that tailored plans deliver both physical and behavioral health services for Medicaid members with significant needs and that Trillium now covers tailored-plan services across 46 North Carolina counties. "The best way for folks to get a hold of Trillium to understand what services are available to them and tap into resources is by either calling our member and recipient service line . . . and also visiting our website," the representative said.

Why it matters: Trillium said roughly 21,000 people in Moore County were enrolled in Medicaid as of July; Trillium serves about 29% of that group, or just under 6,000 members. Commissioners pressed for county-level detail and local outreach after Trillium reported major increases in call volume and claims since it launched as a tailored plan.

Trillium described differences between "standard" and "tailored" plans: standard plans provide basic outpatient care and medication management for low-to-moderate needs; tailored plans provide enhanced services such as intensive in-home supports, assertive community treatment, residential options and some waiver-based services. The presenter said some services (for example, innovations-waiver supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and expanded traumatic-brain-injury services) are limited statewide and may have waiting lists.

Trillium reported operational impacts during the transition: call-center volume nearly doubled in the month of launch, driving higher wait times; pharmacy claims across Trillium’s catchment totaled about $82,000,000 from July through mid-October (the presenter said that figure reflected the larger service area, not Moore County alone); and Trillium said it was paying claims within 30 days for 99.9% of claims.

Commissioners and other speakers pressed Trillium on local outreach and capacity. Commissioner Nick Vicerno and others urged stronger school-based outreach, PTA and community presentations and better advertising so residents and families know how to access services. One commissioner said, "I don't even know how to get services. I would not even know how to do that without calling a crisis line." The Trillium representative said the organization uses annual mailings, texts, community liaisons and partnerships and that it is open to coordinated county efforts and to expanding advertising (including billboards and media) but had no firm timeline for new advertising.

Trillium also described transportation arrangements: it contracts with MotiveCare to schedule rides and said it proactively contacted about 900 members before launch to check transportation needs. The representative said the tailored plan covers transportation, pharmacy benefits, durable medical equipment and nonmedical supports such as housing help, one-time move-in assistance and food access where clinically appropriate.

On provider capacity and outcomes, commissioners pressed for hard numbers and local metrics. A commissioner asked for counts: how many GED vouchers, how many people transported, how many Moore County residents received specific supports; the Trillium representative said those metrics are tracked and pledged to provide Moore-specific data in an email within about a week and in a fuller annual report.

The board and staff discussed coordination with local partners. Trillium said it already meets with the Moore County sheriff’s office, hospital and health department and is working on school connections; Trillium’s head of community engagement, Anne Kimball, was named as a contact for educational outreach.

Ending: Commissioners thanked the presenter and requested Moore County–specific data at the next briefing; Trillium agreed to send more local figures and to follow up on advertising and school outreach plans.