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Medicaid State Technical Assistance

Related Resources for States

The staff in the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) provides technical assistance to states on an ongoing basis on all Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) topics. However, for several specific programs, CMCS has also contracted with outside entities to provide technical assistance to states on behalf of CMCS. Below are brief descriptions of each technical assistance provider and links to additional information.

Managed Care

Direct technical assistance is available from CMS to assist state Medicaid agencies in developing, enhancing, implementing, and evaluating managed care programs. States are encouraged to submit these requests for any managed care question, but some examples of requests include: managed care authorities, rate setting, contract language, benefit design, access to care or data. 

Home & Community-Based Services

Home and community-based services (HCBS) provide opportunities for Medicaid beneficiaries to receive services in their own home or community. These programs serve a variety of targeted populations groups, such as people with mental illnesses, intellectual disabilities, and/or physical disabilities. States have several options including state plan amendments (SPAs) and waivers, to provide home and community-based services.

CMS has partnered with an HCBS technical assistance contractor to offer free technical assistance and training to state agencies that would like to develop or improve HCBS under the section 1915 (c) waivers or sections 1915 (i), 1915 (j) or 1915 (k) SPAs. The HCBS technical assistance contractor can also provide guidance on how these authorities might interact with one another and with Section 1115 demonstration waivers. Technical assistance and training spans a variety of systems-change related topics including but not limited to:

  • Strategic planning
  • Determining which HCBS authority is most appropriate for your state
  • Community integration supports for people with disabilities
  • Supported employment supports
  • Person-centered planning as it relates to systems of services and support
  • Individual budgeting and fiscal management services, related to self-direction
  • Service design and needs-based criteria
  • Population targeting
  • Program implementation
  • Assist in Medicaid program and payment mechanisms to implement the Fair Labor Standards Act
  • Conflict of interest
  • Mortality and morbidity data collection and analysis

Technical assistance can be provided virtually or in-person to support the needs of the state.

Health Homes

The Affordable Care Act of 2010, section 2703, created an optional Medicaid state plan benefit for states to establish Health Homes to coordinate care for people with Medicaid who have chronic conditions by adding section 2703 of the Social Security Act. CMS expects states health home providers to operate under a "whole-person" philosophy. Health Homes providers will integrate and coordinate all primary, acute, behavioral health, and long-term services and supports to treat the whole person.

For more information, visit:

Medicaid and School Based Services

In meeting the requirements of Section 11003 of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) (P.L. 117-159), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in consultation with the U. S. Department of Education (ED), are providing States and stakeholders ongoing technical assistance to expand school-based health services, ensuring children have the health services and supports necessary to build resilience and thrive.

In addition, the School Based Services Technical Assistance Center (TAC) will help States in implementing Medicaid School-Based Services, supporting the delivery of these services, improving and strengthening access to physical and behavioral health services for students, and helping to reduce both: federal administrative burden for states and localities, including local educational agencies, and barriers to the provision of school-based physical and behavioral health services.

CMS is available to provide technical assistance to States to best implement their programs. If you have questions regarding implementation of these options, please contact CMS at: SchoolBasedServices@cms.hhs.gov

Preadmission Screen & Resident Review (PASRR)

Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) is a federal requirement to help ensure that individuals are not inappropriately placed in nursing homes for long-term care. PASRR requires that 1) all applicants to a Medicaid-certified nursing facility be evaluated for mental illness and/or intellectual disability; 2) be offered the most appropriate setting for their needs (in the community, a nursing facility, or acute care settings); and 3) receive the services they need in those settings. The PASRR Technical Assistance Center provides information in a variety of formats available from the link below, and offers free individual consultation to any state agency involved with PASRR, from simple questions to intensive on-site review and program design.

Testing Experience & Functional Tools

In March 2014, CMS awarded Testing Experience and Functional Tools (TEFT) grants to nine states to test quality measurement tools and demonstrate e-health in Medicaid community-based long term services and supports (CB-LTSS). The grant program, spanning four years through March 2018, is designed to field test an experience of care survey and a set of functional assessment items, demonstrate personal health records, and create a standard electronic LTSS plan.

For more information: