Illinois Medicaid To Expand Children’s Access To Behavioral Health Services

The Illinois Medicaid program is preparing to comply with a settlement agreement that will expand children’s access to mental and behavioral health services. The expansion will take place through the Medicaid Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit. Medicaid-eligible children under age 21 diagnosed with behavioral health disorders will be able to receive a continuum of behavioral health home- and community-based services (HCBS) and inpatient care through EPSDT.  The state's plans will be finalized by December 2017.

The service expansion is the result of a settlement agreement in the class action N.B. v . . .