Friday’s MAPOC Complex Care Committee meeting focused on
Community
Care Teams (CCTs) that collaborate across social service to help people
with complex health problems. So far, seven CT communities are developing or
already operating CCTs that focus on frequent ED visitors. The CCT teams
include hospitals, behavioral health and primary care providers with community
resources such as food and housing programs. CCTs include regular meetings of
all partners, to review cases and align treatment resources, as well as dedicated
staff to connect with patients and help them navigate the resources. At the committee
meeting we heard from
Middlesex
County’s CCT, which started three years ago and has already achieved
impressive reductions in ED usage and costs. The Middlesex CCT has saved an
estimated $1.7 million in ED costs to date. Each ER visit avoided by a Medicaid
member saves the program an average of $915.66. On behalf of DSS, CHNCT and the
CT Behavioral Health Program both support and participate in CCTs across the
state. Funds this year to support and expand CCTs across the state were cut from
the state budget but there is optimism that funding in next year’s budget will
be protected.
