New MCO Action Guide, Grant Opportunity, and Resources (Feb, 2025)

New Action Guide - How Managed Care Organizations Can Contribute to MPAs

This new action guide, created by West Health and the Long Term Quality Alliance, explores the unique opportunities Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) have to contribute effectively to MPAs by aligning their expertise in care coordination and service delivery with the broader objectives of
state MPAs. The guide highlights five steps MCOs can take to engage with their state MPA, including contacting the state agency leading the MPA, crosswalking MCO goals and priorities with those of the MPA, getting involved in stakeholder advisory committees or listening sessions, highlighting areas where the MCO can contribute to MPA goals, and providing data for MPA dashboards where possible. Read the full brief here. 

No Wrong Door Grant Opportunity from ACL 

On January 15, the Administration for Community Living (ACL) announced a funding opportunity, “Enhancing State No Wrong Door Systems for Efficient Access to Long-Term Services and Supports.” ACL plans to fund up to 10 two-year grants to strengthen the No Wrong Door systems that make it easier for people to connect to the long-term services and supports available in their communities. The grants will support states and territories in enhancing their NWD systems to further streamline access to public services. Project goals will vary according to the individual needs of each state or territory, but may include objectives such as modernizing information technology systems, improving efficiency and effectiveness of referral processes, increasing public-private partnerships between CBOs and health care systems and enhancing care transitions. With these grants, states and territories also will establish or strengthen their NWD governance structures, which may include a leadership council, advisory group, strategic planning group, or another formal arrangement. Applications are due Monday, March 17, 2025.

State One-Pagers Highlight Progress on MPAs

In several states, the MPA lead agencies have developed summary one-pagers for their plans. These documents provide snapshots of the goals, key features, and frameworks for the MPA. There are also links to additional resources and ways to get involved. Review the one-pagers by clicking on the links below: 

• Tennessee

• Indiana

• Maryland

• North Carolina

• Vermont

• Oklahoma

Do you have a resource to share? Contact us at MPA@westhealth.org.

Sessions and MPA Meeting at On Aging 2025

Join us in Orlando from April 21-24 for the American Society on Aging's annual conference. Click here to register. If you are going, be sure to attend the following session: 

Got Data? A new national dashboard for informing aging policy and programs: April 23, 9:30-10:30 am 
Do you need data to support your goals, make your case to policymakers, or describe the needs of your community? In the US, data on populations are often fragmented across locations, themes, and demographics. This fragmentation can make it difficult to determine and communicate how best to holistically target the needs of all populations. To help fill this gap, West Health created a first-of-its-kind national aging data dashboard, which includes national, state, and local data across a wide variety of demographics and indicators, with a special focus on issues related to aging and disability. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the dashboard with its creators and offer input that can help strengthen its next iteration.

Additionally, there will be a meeting for CHCS MPA Learning Collaborative States on April 25 from 8 am - 12 pm. This meeting, hosted by the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS), is a great opportunity for MPA Learning Collaborative states in cohorts 1, 2, and 3 to meet and learn from each other. For more information, contact CHCS (gbell@chcs.org, erauscher@chcs.org).

Contact us

For questions, comments, or suggestions related to MPAs or the newsletter, please do not hesitate to contact us at MPA@westhealth.org.