Trillium: tailored Medicaid plan launched July 1; Bladen County sees higher call volume, transportation and placement gaps

Cecilia Pierce, Southern regional vice president with Trillium Health Resources, told the Bladen County Board of Commissioners that Trillium launched its tailored Medicaid plan on July 1 and is now covering both physical and behavioral health benefits for members assigned to the plan.

Pierce said the change expanded services for members with acute or long-term behavioral health needs to include school-based therapy, multi-systemic therapy, assertive community treatment, ambulatory and inpatient detox, residential treatment and long-term services and supports. She said Trillium also now manages pharmacy benefits, durable medical equipment and nonemergency medical transportation for those members.

The tailored-plan launch increased demand on Trillium’s call center and transportation contracts. Pierce said monthly call volume rose from prelaunch levels to roughly 12,000 calls in September, and that the organization has not yet returned to its prior average answer times. She said Trillium continued to pay most provider claims promptly: “We are still able to pay 100% of our claims within 30 days,” Pierce said during the presentation.

Pierce described specific operational issues tied to transportation. Trillium contracts with MOTIV Care for nonemergency rides; MOTIV in turn uses a network of county providers, ambulances and for‑hire drivers. Pierce said the transportation network was not always prepared for specialized needs of some members and that Trillium has been working case by case to arrange appropriate rides.

On behavioral-health capacity for children, Pierce acknowledged placement shortages and longer waits for waiver-funded services. She said some state-funded programs — including innovation waiver slots and an expansion of the traumatic brain injury waiver — remain limited and that the state’s allocations create waiting lists for high‑need services. Trillium said it is recruiting specialized providers and working with counties and Department of Social Services (DSS) staff to identify placements and to offer rapid-access care coordination before DSS custody is needed.

Pierce provided county-level enrollment figures and service breakdowns. She said Bladen County had “a little under 14,000” Medicaid recipients and that Trillium covered about 31% of the county’s Medicaid population; Pierce said just under 1,000 Bladen County residents were assigned as tailored-plan members. She said the majority of county Medicaid recipients remained in standard plans and that certain populations — for example, dually eligible Medicare‑Medicaid beneficiaries and children in foster care — are carved out of managed care.

Pierce also highlighted community and workforce initiatives: peer‑support training for people with lived experience, crisis intervention training for first responders and outreach through a Neighborhood Connections team that follows referrals until needs are met. She encouraged residents who lack insurance or are underinsured to contact Trillium through the contact routes on the organization’s website or the eligibility and enrollment team email referenced during the presentation.

Commissioners asked follow-up questions about access for uninsured residents, job openings and the county’s ability to push for more child‑placement resources; Pierce said Trillium can provide data and advocacy points and partner with local officials to pursue state approvals for additional services.

Pierce concluded by reminding the board and the public that members in crisis can call Trillium or 988 for immediate behavioral‑health assistance.