Children's Behavioral Health Initiative (CBHI)

What is CBHI?
Who do the CBHI services help?
What services are offered as part of CBHI?
How does a child and the child's family use mobile crisis intervention (MCI)?
Who provides the CBHI services?
Who is eligible for CBHI services?
How does a child get CBHI services?
Must a child already have a certain diagnosis to get CBHI services?
Who pays for CBHI services?
Is there anything a child can do if the CSA or clinician denies the child services?
How does a child enroll in the right type of MassHealth?
Is there anything a child can do if MassHealth will not enroll the child or will not pay for services?

What is CBHI?

CBHI stands for the Children's Behavioral Health Initiative. It is an effort by MassHealth to provide more community-based behavioral health or mental health services to youth under the age of 21 with MassHealth and who meet certain criteria. Sometimes these services are also called "Rosie D." services.

Who do the CBHI services help?

MassHealth designed these services to help youth under 21 who are experiencing mental health, behavioral, emotional, or substance abuse issues and their families. The services also support the families of the youth.

What services are offered as part of CBHI?

Intensive Care Coordination (ICC): A care coordinator organizes wraparound services through a Community Service Agency (CSA) by helping to create one family-centered treatment plan that includes other agencies and providers.
Outpatient therapy: Therapists provide counseling to youth and sometimes their families in an office environment.
In-home therapy: Counselors work with the whole family in a home or community setting. Includes 24/7 urgent response and day-to-day support to achieve goals.
Behavior management therapy and behavior monitoring: Management of challenging behaviors at home or in the community. A counselor creates a behavior plan, and a behavior monitor uses the plan to model and reinforce healthy behavior.
Therapeutic mentoring (TM): A mentor works one-on-one with a youth to address daily living, social, and communication skills at home or during social and recreational activities.
Family support and training (FS&T or family partners): A family partner with experience caring for a child with special needs provides one-on-one support, education, coaching, and training to caregiver around child's behavioral health needs.
Mobile crisis intervention (MCI): Face-to-face response to youth in crisis in community, available 24/7 and up to 72 continuous hours of crisis management.

How does a child and the child's family use mobile crisis intervention (MCI)?

When a child acts out, the caretaker — school, parent, other professional — may call mobile crisis intervention services instead of the police or ambulance. The child does not need to have used the MCI or other CBHI services in the past in order to get MCI, but the caller must call the MCI provider in the area. To find out the MCI in your area, call MassHealth client services or the Children's Law Center.

Who provides the CBHI services?

Community Service Agency (CSA): CSAs are the only providers of Intensive Care Coordination (ICC) and Family Support and Training (FS&T). Some CSAs may also provide the other services and/or will help find additional srvices.
Community organizations: Various organizations in your community provide outpatient therapy, in-home therapy, behavior management, and family support and training.
Hospitals and community health centers: Many hospitals and community health centers provide outpatient therapy and/or in-home therapy.
Individual providers: Individual counselors who have their own offices provide outpatient therapy and/or in-home therapy.
Mobile crisis teams: Professionals at community organizations and hospitals who specialize in crisis management provide mobile crisis intervention.

Who is eligible for CBHI services?

In order to receive CBHI services, the youth must be under the age of 21. Youth with MassHealth Family Assistance, Basic, or Essential may receive outpatient therapy, in-home therapy, or mobile crisis intervention. Youth on MassHealth Standard or CommonHealth may use any CBHI service. A MassHealth-approved counselor must determine that the service is needed before a child can receive it.

How does a child get CBHI services?

A parent/guardian (or any adult in the child's life) may call an outpatient therapist, in-home therapist, or CSA in order to ask for services. A parent/guardian (or other adult) may call the provider directly without getting a referral from another doctor. To find a provider in your area, call the child's Health Plan (which should be listed on the child's MassHealth card).

Must a child already have a certain diagnosis to get CBHI services?

No. When a provider meets with the child, that provider will make a determination what services the child needs. The child does not need to have a certain diagnosis before going to see a provider.

Who pays for CBHI services?

MassHealth pays for the services as long as the child has the correct type of MassHealth and a provider determines the services used are medically necessary. Most providers will work with the family and child to ensure that MassHealth will pay for the services.

Is there anything a child can do if the CSA or clinician denies the child services?

If a CSA or other provider finds that a child does not need a certain service and you disagree with that decision, call the Children's Law Center.

How does a child enroll in the right type of MassHealth?

To determine what coverage type a child has call the number on the child's MassHealth card or call MassHealth Customer Service at 1-800-841-2900. Many community health centers can help a child enroll in MassHealth or change coverage types. If you are having trouble enrolling a child in MassHealth or a specific type of MassHealth, contact the Children's Law Center.

Is there anything a child can do if MassHealth will not enroll the child or will not pay for services?

If MassHealth will not enroll a child or will not pay for services that a provider has said are necessary, the child's parent/guardian may file a grievance and appeal. For help with the grievance or appeal, contact the Children's Law Center.