Priority 4.
CARE COORDINATION PLUS (CCO+):
Strengthening Care for People in New York With Intellectual
and Developmental Disabilities and Mental Health Needs
New York’s Care Coordination Organizations (CCOs) support 130,000 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) — many of whom also live with co‑occurring mental health conditions. Yet, because behavioral health, developmental disability services, and primary medical care often operate in silos, people experience:
- Delayed access to psychiatric care
- Wait times for mental health evaluation or treatment can extend for months or even years, leaving individuals without timely interventions.
- Over‑reliance on emergency departments
- Because preventive, coordinated care is difficult to access, individuals are forced to seek help in crisis situations.
- Unnecessary hospitalizations
- Without early, community‑based mental health support, individuals are more frequently admitted for preventable psychiatric or medical crises.
This fragmented system leads to avoidable suffering for individuals and families — and drives up healthcare costs for the state.
We urge legislators to establish a CCO+ Pilot Program by amending the Mental Hygiene Law, allowing qualified CCOs to provide enhanced, integrated care for individuals with both IDD and mental health needs. The pilot includes:
- Intensive, multidisciplinary team-based care management
- Care would be delivered by teams that include behavioral health clinicians, nurses, and professionals specialized in IDD.
- 24/7 behavioral health access
- Immediate support during crises, reducing ER use and supporting families in real time.
- Enhanced Medicaid reimbursement
- An improved funding structure enables CCOs to provide proactive, rather than reactive, mental health care.
- This approach builds on existing CCO services while filling critical gaps in psychiatric and behavioral health support.
The CCO+ model introduces comprehensive, specialized mental health support designed specifically for individuals with IDD:
- Specialized psychiatric care management
- Clinicians trained in both mental health and intellectual/developmental disabilities provide tailored assessments and care planning.
- Virtual urgent behavioral health care
- 24/7 access to crisis support and immediate interventions — especially valuable for rural families or those with transportation barriers.
- Tele-psychiatry and tele-psychology appointments
- Flexible, on-demand access to a virtual network of licensed professionals ensures continuity of care.
- Enhanced per-member per-month reimbursement rates
- This funding mechanism enables a shift from crisis-based intervention to sustained, preventive care.
- Fewer emergency room visits
- Better coordination means crises are managed before they escalate to emergency‑level care.
- Reduced preventable crises and institutionalization
- Proactive behavioral health support keeps people safely in their homes and communities.
- Improved long‑term health outcomes
- Consistent access to psychiatric and behavioral health services supports stability, independence, and quality of life.
- Cost savings for Medicaid and Medicare
- Preventing crises and hospitalizations significantly reduces overall spending.
- Smarter, data‑driven Medicaid spending
- Enhanced care coordination leads to better resource allocation and more predictable costs.
- Stronger alignment with New York State’s mission
- This model supports New York’s commitment to helping vulnerable populations thrive in community settings.
The CCO+ model offers a smarter, more compassionate approach to supporting individuals with both IDD and mental health needs by closing long‑standing gaps in care and providing timely, specialized support. With this investment, New York can reduce preventable crises, strengthen community‑based services, and build a system that truly meets people where they are — with dignity, equity, and respect.
Your voice matters. Contact your legislators and urge them to #InvestInUs, because every New Yorker with IDD deserves dignity, stability, and opportunity.
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