CT’s urgent and mobile crisis centers, which help children in mental health crises, are running low on funds, service providers say.
Department of Social Services
Posted inHealth
CT Medicaid accused of violating law by not covering weight loss drugs
Connecticut law requires Medicaid to cover certain weight loss drugs, but officials say it hasn’t been happening due to cost concerns.
Posted inHealth
CT medicaid managed care study gets continued pushback from advocates
Providers and advocates renewed their calls to reject a potential return to Medicaid managed care during meetings hosted by the CT DSS.
Posted inMoney
Lamont’s CT budget plan falls short of social service providers’ requests
The plan lacks the financial investments that CT social service advocates say are necessary to reverse years of financial neglect.
Posted inMoney
Arbitrator says social services staff can telecommute through December
State social services field staff can telework about 70% of the time through December under a new ruling.
Posted inGovernment
Long lines for free food persist more than a year into the pandemic, causing concern among advocates
While food insecurity remains high, the state is not seeing a corresponding increase in food stamp recipients.
Posted inGovernment
CT distributing pandemic food aid for children to some, but not yet all, eligible households
About 80,000 Connecticut families must wait to receive money to make up for meals kids no longer receive at school.
Posted inGovernment
Deidre Gifford, top Medicaid official, named to lead DSS
Dr. Deidre Gifford, a physician and top federal Medicaid official, is the governor’s choice to oversee social services in Connecticut.
Posted inHealth
Lawmakers, Malloy administration wrangle over telemedicine
WASHINGTON – Connecticut’s congressional delegation is at odds with the Malloy administration over its failure to apply for an expansion of the HUSKY program that would give low-income residents access to new telemedicine services, especially for psychiatric care and substance abuse treatment.
Posted inHealth
State delays controversial electronic system mandate for home health care
The state Department of Social Services has agreed to postpone the rollout of a new electronic system for home health agencies after an outcry among providers and threats to drop clients on Medicaid.
Posted inHealth
Home health agencies seek delay for electronic system
Home care agency leaders say a new electronic system the state’s Medicaid program requires them to use has been beset by problems and has led some agencies to consider phasing out service to Medicaid clients. But the state agency overseeing it says anecdotal information suggests it could be improving services.
Posted inHealth
Home care agencies warn new system could cause major problems
Starting Jan. 1, the state will begin requiring home care workers to use a new electronic system for reporting the time they spend caring for certain clients – a change forecast to save the state millions of dollars. But home care providers worry problems could leave them unable to make payroll. And one major agency says it will refuse to use the new system.
Posted inHealth
DSS’s long-awaited computer fix finally arrives, starting today
The mainframe computer system underpinning operations at the state Department of Social Services is so old, there are few people left who know how to fix it. It’s been blamed for stymieing the agency’s ability to handle programs that serve nearly 1 million people. As its replacement launches in part of the state today, officials say some growing pains are expected.
Posted inHealth, Money, Politics
State worker layoffs continue at three agencies
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration continued to issue layoff notices Tuesday to state employees, serving pink slips to clerical staff in the Department of Social Services, according to a source close to the affected workers.
Posted inHealth
On second try, legislators approve outsourcing plan for brain injury program
Legislators voted Monday to allow the state to move toward outsourcing case management work in a Medicaid program for people with acquired brain injuries, four months after rejecting a similar proposal.