1115 Demonstration Waiver Amendment

Building and Transforming Coverage, Services, and Supports for a Healthier Virginia 

The Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) is planning to submit an amendment to Virginia’s “Building and Transforming Coverage, Services, and Supports for a Healthier Virginia” 1115 Demonstration waiver to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in December 2024.  

Serious Mental Illness (SMI) Demonstration Waiver Amendment 

Pursuant to 42 CFR §431.408, notice is hereby given that DMAS is seeking to amend its Medicaid Section 1115 Demonstration entitled “Building and Transforming Coverage, Services, and Supports for a Healthier Virginia.” (No. 11-W-0029713)

DMAS is providing an opportunity for the public to review and provide input on the Demonstration amendment application November 8, 2024 through December 11, 2024.  

The current demonstration is scheduled to expire on December 31, 2024 and a renewal application to extend the current demonstration for five years was submitted to CMS on August 2, 2024. The current 1115 Demonstration waiver as well as the renewal application submitted to CMS includes two programs. The two current components of the 1115 demonstration waiver are the substance use disorder (SUD) institutes of mental disease (IMD) and Former Foster Care Youth (FFCY) programs. 

With this amendment application, Virginia seeks waiver authority for serious mental illness (SMI) IMD coverage in response to an opportunity announced to states via a State Medicaid Director letter in 2018.

To read the full public notice and view the draft amendment application, please visit the DMAS website at https://dmas.virginia.gov/about-us/1115-demonstration-waiver/. The direct link to view the public notice is https://www.dmas.virginia.gov/media/jjbpbmyw/smi-1115-long-notice_v3.pdf and the direct link to view the full text of the draft amendment application (PDF) is https://dmas.virginia.gov/media/mp5jmdoz/smi_1115_waiver_draft_11_7_24.pdf. 

DMAS will conduct a public notice process that will include posting a notice on this page (please see below) and on the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall. DMAS will also send the notice out to an electronic list of over 200,000 providers, members and stakeholders. 

Starting on November 8, 2024, public input may be submitted via the Town Hall public comment forum at https://townhall.virginia.gov/L/Forums.cfm (scroll down to Department of Medical Assistance Services and click on “View or Enter Comments”) or to Lisa Jobe-Shields, Behavioral Health Division Director, by phone (804-814-9216), email (lisa.jobe-shields@dmas.virginia.gov), or mail (Lisa Jobe-Shields, DMAS, Behavioral Health Division, 600 E. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219.) Comments must be received no later than 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on December 11, 2024. 

DMAS will hold two public hearings at the times and locations below, where verbal or written public comments can be submitted. All verbal public comments should be limited to two minutes each. 

To participate in the public meetings, please use the information provided below: 

Public Hearing #1: 1115 Serious Mental Illness Waiver Amendment- Public Meeting  

Monday, November 18, 2024 

12:00 pm – 1:00 pm 

In-person attendance: Fairfield Area Library, 1401 N Laburnum Ave, Henrico, VA 23223, FA Meeting Room 
Virtual Attendance:  Click Here, Meeting ID: 219 946 597 390, Passcode: 7BGtSB 

Dial in by Phone: +1 434-230-0065, 577708503#, Phone conference ID: 577 708 503# 

Public Hearing #2: Board of Medical Assistance Services Meeting 

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 

10:00 am – 12:00 pm 

In-person attendance: Conference Rooms 102 A & B, 600 East Broad Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219   

Virtual Attendance:  https://covaconf.webex.com/covaconf/j.php?MTID=m84dcab39c35d54a04fd706b0bf1ac836 

After considering public comments about the proposed demonstration amendment application, DMAS will make final decisions about the demonstration and submit a revised application to CMS. 

Additional information about this demonstration is also available on the CMS website at https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/index.html