Overarching Messaging

• More Ohio children than ever are being supported through OhioRISE, which provides the best possible care for kids facing complex mental and behavioral health needs with coordinated community services.
• July marked two years since Ohio’s launch of OhioRISE, which is making major strides in supporting more youth and families in need.
• The OhioRISE program was built to address longstanding gaps in care and coordination that often result in families having to navigate complex, often siloed systems on their own.
• OhioRISE offer a wide array of services that aren’t cookie cutter and can meet the needs of each child across all 88 counties.
• Since the program’s launch, ODM continues to expand and add care options for those participating in OhioRISE. New services and programs include a rapid mobile response and stabilization service, intensive home-based treatments, respites for families and flex funds to support the needs of the youth in OhioRISE.
• Partners that work with OhioRISE report that they have families say, “you’ve given us our child back” or “you’ve helped keep our family together” or “you’ve provided our family hope.”

OhioRISE Growth — By the Numbers (As of September 2024)

• Grew from 5,500 children enrolled on day one to 37,748 children and youth served today.
• Serves more than 3,800 kids in foster care.
• Added 800 new care coordinators in all 88 Ohio counties since inception.
• Employs nearly 4,000 program eligibility assessors.

Why is OhioRISE Necessary?

• The OhioRISE program addresses longstanding gaps in care and coordination for families that have children with complex and multiple mental health needs.
• Before OhioRISE, families were often overwhelmed with the financial and emotional costs and faced the difficult reality of giving up custody of their child or sending them to treatment programs out of state. OhioRISE is keeping families together.
• Those multiple behavioral health needs often mean families must figure out complexand siloed systems on their own.
• Caregivers and families referred to OhioRISE gain a voice in the care of their child, feel empowered and see positive outcomes in many cases.

Program Expansion

• Since the program’s launch, ODM has expanded care options for those participating in OhioRISE. These include:
  • Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) — A rapid mobile response and stabilization service for young people who are experiencing significant behavioral or emotional distress.
  • Intensive Home-Based Treatment — ODM is investing $10 million to expand access to stabilizing in-home behavioral health treatment services, which will result in a total of 76 out of the 88 counties in Ohio having access to this critical care within the next few years.
  • Behavioral Health Respite — Over 150 organizations and family-selected individuals have enrolled to provide short-term relief to caregivers in home- and community-based settings, with more being added every day.
  • Primary Flex Funds — Over 10,000 OhioRISE participants have accessed the Flex Funds service, which provides funding for goods and supports needed for young people to succeed in therapy, school and/or social interactions.
  • Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities — OhioRISE launched its first two in-state Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities. This kind of care, previously only accessible out of state, offers access to this type of treatment for the most intensive level of care much closer to home.

How OhioRISE Works

• OhioRISE covers the mental and behavioral health and substance use disorder services covered by Ohio Medicaid.
• The program also covers additional services, including in-home family treatment, mobile response services, respite, flexible supports, and psychiatric residential treatment facilities.
• Children and youth ages 0-20, who are eligible for Medicaid, may qualify.
• Families interested in OhioRISE receive an assessment, often from their local CME.
• Once confirmed as eligible for the program, families are assigned a care coordinator.
• Care coordinators will assist with the following:
  • Creating a support team around the child and family
  • Developing a care plan that meets the needs of the child across child-serving systems
  • Helping the child and family access services and resources
  • Coordinating with other providers and entities, reducing the number of meetings and appointments caregivers must juggle and attend
• Members use the unique OhioRISE treatment and support services that are available in their community – services that are growing every day.

How OhioRISE Works with Partners

• OhioRISE collaborates with 18 regional Care Management Entities (CMEs) through Aetna Better Health of Ohio.
• Individual care coordinators serve as community-based experts in navigating care options, offering personalized case management for every child to better meet their emotional, behavioral and physical needs.
• Ohio’s collaborative approach ensures various care partners, from doctors to caseworkers to teachers, work together to address the unique needs of each child.
• These partnerships mean children and youth receive the right care, at the right time and closer to where they live.

Success Stories

• The success of OhioRISE goes beyond statistics. Participants often report real-life stories of happier, healthier kids and stronger families after becoming involved with the program.
• One example is Mason, a nonverbal child with autism who has been a part of the OhioRISE family for two years.
  • His father, Chris, says he’s seen great improvement thanks to the coordinated care and resources his son has received.
  • Mason is more self-sufficient, he is learning how to cope with his emotions, and his progress has been an inspiration to his loved ones.
  • Mason used to be angry going to school but now he looks forward to it and overall is a happier kid. That would not have happened without OhioRISE.

Call to Action

• Families interested in learning about eligibility should contact the Aetna OhioRISE Member Hotline at 833-711-0773 and can read more by searching OhioRISE at the Ohio Department of Medicaid website.