A Scan of the Status of States’ Integration of Human Services and Health Insurance Programs

Attachment B. Advance letter from HHS and APHSA to respondents

Dear [state human services official]:

The U.S Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation and the Administration for Children and Families are conducting an electronic questionnaire designed to understand the current state of integration across Medicaid and human services programs at the state level. We are writing to encourage you to participate in this important activity.

The questionnaire is being conducted by MEF Associates, the American Public Human Services Association, and the Rockefeller Institute of Government. It is one part of a broader study intended to describe what states have done since 2010 to strengthen connections between their health and human services programs for low-income and disadvantaged populations. Results will help HHS better understand states’ system modernization efforts, as well as your plans for additional integration activities. Findings may contribute to the development of technical assistance tools to help states achieve their integration goals. Your participation is key to our having a complete understanding of current state program and system modernization initiatives. Participation is voluntary, and we would be very grateful for your assistance.

You will be receiving an invitation to participate in this questionnaire within the next few days, in an email from MEF Associates with the subject line “Response Requested – HHS’s State Questionnaire of Integration of Health and Human Services Programs.” The email will contain a link connecting you to the questionnaire, and provide guidance on how to complete it. We estimate that the questionnaire will take on average 45 minutes to complete. You will be able to fill it out yourself or delegate some or all of it to other appropriate individuals within your agency.

We will share results through a national webinar which will include state human services officials from around the country. All results will be kept confidential and the names of individual states will not be used during the webinar or in the final report without permission.

Again, the email with the questionnaire link will be arriving soon. If you have any questions meanwhile, please contact Sam Elkin at MEF Associates at 703 838-2722 or sam.elkin@mefassociates.com.

Thank you in advance for participating in this important research.

Sincerely,

Charles J. Homer, MD Mark H. Greenberg

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Acting Assistant Secretary

Human Services Policy Administration for Children and Families

Office of the Assistant Secretary for U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Planning and Evaluation

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Tracy Wareing-Evans

Executive Director

American Public Human Services Association