Medicaid's Role in Addressing the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Challenges of Its Members

Policy Points Improving care for people with mental health (MH) and substance use disorder (SUD) conditions is a top priority for Medicaid leaders. Medicaid has often led the way for Medicare and other payers in coverage of MH and SUD services and in modeling the applied practice of cross-disciplinary work, but there is more work to be done to develop a comprehensive, community-based system of care for MH and SUD conditions. Medicaid's work in MH and SUD conditions is both standard bearing and an important work in progress.