Medicaid School-Based Services Technical Assistance and Analytics

The project includes the provision of technical assistance (TA) services and the development of a methodology to measure annual TA support activity and the changes in States’ school-based services (SBS) services and financial claiming methodologies. Specifically, Mathematica provides large group TA through virtual events, written resources, small group TA through targeted, recurring small group learning activities, and one-on-one TA through a TA mailbox or state calls. Mathematica also leads analysis of Medicaid claims and expenditure data to help CMS and U.S. Department of Education monitor SBS implementation by state and trends in services use, students who access the services, and provider participation. 

Ultimately, these TA and analytic activities help state Medicaid agencies, state education agencies, local education agencies, and school-based entities expand their capacity for providing SBS, reduce administrative burden, and obtain guidance on Medicaid reimbursement. As part of the TAC, Mathematica aims to support all states and territories’ SBS programs to come into full compliance with updated guidance from CMS by July 1, 2026. Resources have focused on topics such as rate setting and payment methodologies, the intersection of managed care and SBS, and fostering program integrity. In tandem with these resources, Mathematica led the development of a readiness checklist to equip states to assess their SBS programs and delineate next steps prior to the compliance deadline. Recordings for these events and more can be found on the TAC’s events webpage.