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VIA presents behavioral-health managed-care update to Person County commissioners
Summary
VIA (presented in the agenda as 'Valya Health') told commissioners it manages Medicaid behavioral-health services and some state and county funds for about 985 tailored-plan members in Person County, noted a recent $6,000,000 state budget reduction affecting catchment funding, and described local services including mobile crisis teams, walk-in centers, new intensive in‑home services and a planned opioid treatment program under licensure.
Elliot Clark, presenting for VIA, briefed the Person County Board of Commissioners on the organization's role and local services on Nov. 18.
Clark said VIA is a public managed-care organization contracted with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to provide specialized care to people with severe and persistent mental illness, intellectual and developmental disabilities, substance-use disorders and traumatic brain injury. He said VIA manages federal Medicaid flows that come through the state, state single-stream funds, some block grants and county maintenance-of-effort dollars.
Clark told the board VIA covers about 985 tailored-plan members in Person County (about 46,000 across the state). He said a recent state budget reduced funds by roughly $6,000,000 for the catchment and that VIA must be creative in managing limited state dollars.
Local services highlighted included a 24/7 crisis line, a mobile crisis team that can respond in the community instead of routing people to jail or hospital, two walk-in centers (Freedom House and RHA Health Services in Roxborough), care management, value-added services (GED support, prenatal care), and supportive housing programs funded with federal grants and Medicaid-managed resources. Clark said the organization has added providers offering intensive in‑home and family-centered treatment and is supporting an opioid treatment program (Morse Clinics of Roxborough) that is under licensure review with the Department of Health and Human Services.
Commissioners asked how VIA partners with local family-practice providers (Person Family Medical) and staff noted they contract with Person Family Medical and provide incentives and collaborative care opportunities. Commissioners and VIA also discussed the co-responder model (behavioral-health clinician paired with law enforcement) and possible re-establishment of a recovery court and in-detention treatment services; Clark said VIA would be a partner in those efforts.
Clark described governance and local consumer/family advocates who serve on VIA boards, and he mentioned resource constraints for clinician recruitment in rural areas as an ongoing challenge. He also referenced waiting lists for state innovation-waiver slots and the high cost of serving individuals with complex needs.
The presentation concluded with an offer to provide a glossary of acronyms and follow-up contact information for commissioners.
