“Approximately one out of 10 children in the United States has a serious emotional disorder, mental health conditions represent the most costly health condition among children. The home provision of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides an opportunity for states to improve the quality and cost of care for these children. This resource paper provides a rationale as to why health homes under the ACA should be customized for children and youth with serious behavioral health challenges. It offers approaches to health home customization based on intensive care coordination models using high fidelity Wraparound that have emerged from systems of care in children’s behavioral health care. The document outlines clear distinctions between the population of adults with serious and persistent mental illness and the population of children and youth with serious mental health conditions. Drawing on evidence-informed approaches for children with serious behavioral health challenges, the paper describes ways of designing health homes for this population that take into account federal health home requirements and the unique characteristics of these children. This resource is intended for federal and state Medicaid policymakers and system and community partners, including families and youth, to help inform planning and decision-making related to health homes under the ACA.“
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