Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) | CMS 2B2 20 001

Opportunity Information: Apply for CMS 2B2 20 001

The Integrated Care for Kids (InCK) grant opportunity is a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) initiative designed to help states and local communities test new ways of paying for and delivering care for children covered by Medicaid and the Children s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The central idea is to fund real-world demonstrations of integrated service delivery that connects behavioral health, physical health, and other child-serving systems, then measure whether those changes both improve care quality and health outcomes for children while also lowering overall Medicaid and CHIP spending. In other words, the program is not just paying for services; it is paying to build and test a coordinated model of care that can be evaluated and potentially scaled.

A major focus of the InCK Model is addressing pressing child health priorities that are difficult to solve when services are fragmented across agencies and providers. CMS highlights behavioral health challenges as a key concern, including opioid and other substance use issues and the ripple effects of opioid use on children and families. By encouraging coordination across traditional health care and other child services, the model aims to improve how communities identify needs early, connect children and families to appropriate supports, and maintain continuity of care across settings such as primary care, behavioral health providers, schools, and social services.

From a payment and accountability standpoint, InCK is aimed at developing state-specific pediatric alternative payment models (APMs). These APMs are intended to go beyond fee-for-service structures by building in provider accountability and creating financial and operational incentives for measurable improvements in quality and outcomes. The expectation is that awardees will design approaches that make providers and delivery systems jointly responsible for performance, using data and quality measures to track whether children are receiving more appropriate, timely, and effective care.

The award is structured as a cooperative agreement, meaning CMS is expected to have substantial involvement with awardees during planning, implementation, and evaluation rather than simply issuing funds and stepping back. Funding is intended to support the infrastructure and operational capacity needed to plan, launch, and run an integrated care model. Examples called out in the opportunity include investments in information technology (such as data-sharing and care coordination tools), strategic planning and analytic work needed to design the model, staffing and day-to-day operational functions, and participation in federal evaluation activities. This emphasis signals that CMS views the ability to share data and manage performance as essential to successful integration and to proving whether the model achieves cost and quality goals.

Administratively, this is a discretionary health funding opportunity (CFDA 93.378) offered by the Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The opportunity number is CMS 2B2 20 001. It was created on February 8, 2019, with an application deadline of June 10, 2019 at 3:00 pm Eastern. CMS anticipated making up to 8 awards, with an award ceiling of $16,000,000 per award. Eligible applicants were broad and included state, county, and local governments; tribal governments and tribal organizations; public housing authorities; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofits (both 501(c)(3) and non-501(c)(3)); for-profit organizations (other than small businesses); and small businesses. This wide eligibility reflects the program s cross-sector goal, since integrated care for children often requires partnership among health agencies, education systems, community organizations, and other local entities.

Overall, InCK is best understood as a funding and demonstration program aimed at building integrated pediatric systems of care and testing whether those systems, supported by alternative payment approaches and strong accountability, can deliver better outcomes for children while reducing the total cost of care for Medicaid and CHIP populations.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services in the health sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Integrated Care for Kids (InCK)" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.378.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 08, 2019.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 10, 2019 Application Due June 10, 2019 at 3 00 pm Eastern Standard Time. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $16,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

Apply for CMS 2B2 20 001

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