A-State, Arkansas Department of Human Services Partner on Medicaid Initiatives

JONESBORO – Arkansas State University is receiving funding from the Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) to partner on several key initiatives aimed at strengthening Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) for Medicaid beneficiaries.

All new initiatives at A-State will be administered through The HOWL (Helping Our Wolves Learn) RESTORE (Research, Education, Service, Transition and Outreach through Reflective Engagement) Hub, which is led by executive director Dr. Kristin Johnson, a faculty member in the College of Education and Behavioral Science.

A-State will direct several initiatives that contribute to building out the care continuum in Medicaid. From future workforce development to researching and implementing initiatives that contribute to a wider array of programs which stabilize people in the community, this collaborative partnership between DHS and A-State will allow researchers to take a deeper dive into improving Medicaid HCBS programming.

"Dr. Johnson is assembling a comprehensive and collaborative team that will have real and meaningful social impact on Arkansans,” Dr. Calvin White Jr., provost and executive vice chancellor, said. “Their combined knowledge and expertise will shed light on areas that are deeply complex and expansive and represent everything A-State is working to accomplish by expanding our research enterprise in service to the state.”  

“These initiatives are crucial for expanding the capacity of providers, addressing the burgeoning demand for HCBS, and bolstering access to these essential services for Medicaid recipients,” said DHS Secretary Kristi Putnam.

The initiatives align with Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ Workforce Cabinet, which is comprised of six state agencies including DHS and the Department of Commerce, focused on optimizing workforce development and career education.

“While our unemployment rate remains at low levels, we know there are still some Arkansans who are able to work but who have not yet opted to seek new opportunities such as this in the job market,” said Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald. “These initiatives offer a path for these Arkansans to develop skills that will help them return to the workforce in the growing sector of Home and Community Based Services. As part of the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet, the Department of Commerce is proud to support this effort and others like it as we continue to focus on strengthening Arkansas’ economy.”

Johnson called the initiatives “deeply personal.”

"I have spent my career, like so many of my team members, advocating for others, researching best practices, providing services and serving on boards,” she said. “It is also personal because this is for all the children, families and clients I have served and for all future children, families, clients, and fellow practitioners. We strive for a brighter, healthier Arkansas."

Background:

Additional information about each of these areas is included in the Roadmap to a Healthier Arkansas report that DHS released last month. The full report is available at www.AR.gov/roadmap.

Two of A-State’s four initiatives are part of promoting Future Workforce Development and focus on delivering HCBS provider training in order to enhance the capability and sustainability of the provider network. These initiatives represent DHS’ second infusion into the HCBS workforce — more than $115 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act funds were previously distributed in 2023 to HCBS providers for workforce stabilization efforts and direct service professional incentives.

A-State’s work ahead will build on those efforts, understanding the essential role that education plays in strengthening and ensuring a sustainable Medicaid system. A-State will be responsible for developing and delivering on-demand, high-impact, and high-value trainings related to service delivery and business and financial acumen that will lay a foundation for a stronger system. This dedicated education will increase provider capacity by offering targeted tools and ways to address the challenges and gaps facing community-based providers and organizations dedicated to working with and on behalf of specialty Medicaid populations.

A third A-State initiative centers on providing assessment and recommendations for Community Reintegration & Qualified Residential Treatment Programs (QRTPs). This work aims at resolving current barriers to the expansion of HCBS Community Reintegration (CR) and determining how it can fit with the current QRTP model for children in foster care. Currently, there is only one CR program for youth in Arkansas.  

"These young Arkansans represent an important constituency that deserves the highest quality of access to support and health care," said Dr. Travis Marsico, vice provost for research, innovation and discovery at A-State.

The last ARP-funded initiative driven by A-State will be piloting the university’s Inclusive Post Secondary Educations (IPSE) program as a future HCBS service called Day Program for Adults with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities. This initiative will serve Medicaid-eligible young adults between the ages of 18-26 with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) transitioning from high school and looking for supports to help in their daily living, with special emphasis on vocational goals and connection to community.

As part of this effort, the HOWL and ATLAS (Autonomy Through Leadership, Advocacy and Service) Transition Pilot Programs will examine student outcomes including employment, quality of life and social networks, while integrating evidence-based case management practices along with evidence-based practices. The HOWL Transition Program, which aims to ensure students with intellectual and developmental disabilities can have the college experience and live independently, started at A-State in 2020 and has been a great success for those involved.

The initiatives are funded through approximately $31.2 million in ARP funds distributed by DHS.