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This paper provides links to online state information provided about these benefit programs. Individuals seeking information about eligibility and benefits in a particular state will find these links a useful place to start.

MONTANA Policy Manuals/Materials Food Stamp http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/hcsd/fsmanual/index.shtml TANF http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/hcsd/tanfmanual/index.shtml Medicaid http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/legalresources/administrativerules/title37/chapter82.pdf CHIP http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/legalresources/administrativerules/title37/chapter79.pdf Child Care Assistance http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/hcsd/ecsbmanual/index.shtml Descriptive Program and Eligibility Information Food Stamp http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/hcsd/snap/index.shtml TANF http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/hcsd/tanf/tanfeligibility.shtml Medicaid http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/programsservices/medicaid.shtml CHIP http://chip.mt.gov/index.shtml Child Care Assistance http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/hcsd/childcare/bestbeginnings/index.shtml Applications for Assistance Food Stamp, TANF and Medicaid http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/programsservices/publicassistanceprograms.shtml (English and Spanish) Food Stamp http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/formsapplications/foodstamp.pdf Medicaid (children) and CHIP http://hmk.mt.gov/documents/hmkapplication.pdf Online Application Medicaid (children) and CHIP https://mtchip.assistguide.net/ Program Data Food Stamp, TANF, Medicaid and CHIP Monthly Statistical Data (w/county totals) http://www.dphhs.mt.gov/statisticalinformation/tanfstats/tanfstatistics.shtml

The Obama administration plans to announce Monday that it will make $206 million in bonus Medicaid payments to 15 states — with more than a fourth of the total going to Alabama — for signing up children who are eligible for public health insurance but had previously failed to enroll.

The nation’s children have a lot at stake in the ongoing federal and state level debates over Medicaid’s role in deficit reduction efforts. Children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) are most vulnerable to Medicaid cuts because so many rely on it. Approximately 14% (10.2 million) of children meet the criteria of having a special health care need. Of these children, 36% rely on Medicaid for all or part of their health coverage.

Montana is on track to join 28 states and the District of Columbia by expanding Medicaid to cover more low-income people.

The Medicaid Reference Desk is a tool to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities find out what Medicaid can offer them.

What:The National Medicare Training Program is pleased to announce the next Understanding Medicare webinar will be held on March 6 and 7, 2012.   This webinar, which is designed for people who are new to Medicare, and for people wanting a refresher, will provide current, accurate, consistent information on Medicare, including hospital (Part A) coverage, medical (Part B) coverage, Medicare Advantage plans (Part C), and prescription drug (Part D) coverage.  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is authorized by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) to offer 0.4 Continuing Education Units (CEU) for this program.   To receive CEU credit participants must: Complete the pre-assessment Attend all four hours of the training Complete the course registration and evaluation Complete the post-test with an aggregate score of at least 70%. When:March 6-7, 201211:00 am - 1:00 pm MTContact:Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Phone: (410) 786-5473Website: Medicare.govRegistration:Click this link to register! Please complete the registration form and select a password that is 8 characters long and contains one capital letter and a numeric digit. If you have previously attended a webinar with us please select “click here” at the top of the page. You will be redirected and asked to enter your login (your email address) and password. If you do not remember you password, please click “Forgot your password?” You will receive an e-mail confirming your registration and providing the link to the webinar pre-assessment. Space is limited, and only approved participants will receive instructions on how to register. The pre-assessment must be completed prior to the start of the webinar. You will not be able to participate in the webinar if you have not completed the pre-assessment.

Federal officials are taking steps to clarify new requirements surrounding Medicaid coverage of autism treatments. Over the summer, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a bulletin to states indicating that Medicaid programs across the country must provide “medically necessary diagnostic and treatment services” to beneficiaries with autism under age 21. Now, the agency is providing new details about the mandate.

HELENA — Year after year, the big kahuna in state spending is human services — and Gov. Brian Schweitzer's proposed budget makes no exception here, with substantial increases in Medicaid, the state-federal program that pays medical bills for the poor.

The 2010 Case for Inclusion report (medicaid.ucp.org), ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC) for Medicaid services provided to intellectual and developmental disability (ID/DD) populations.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced grants to 41 health programs operated by the Indian Health Service; tribes and tribal organizations; and urban Indian organizations. The grants will help improve outreach and enrollment of American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) uninsured children eligible for, but not enrolled in, their state’s Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP).

Blackfeet Tribe, Po'Ka ProjectMontana$300,000Indian Health Board of Billings, Inc.Montana$300,000

HELENA -- The Schweitzer administration has abandoned its controversial plan to set up a Medicaid managed-care demonstration project in Lewis and Clark, Cascade, Choteau, Teton and Judith Basin counties.

Zach Sayne was 25 when he died earlier this month at the place that had been his home for 15 years — a children's nursing home in Alabama. But that was too far away, 200 miles too far, for his mother in Georgia. Nola Sayne was trying to bring him back, closer to her home. The story of why she couldn't reveals the bureaucratic traps, underfunding and lack of choices that plague state Medicaid programs.

“Treating children at home whenever possible,” said Patrick Gardner, an attorney with Young Minds Advocacy Project, “is more humane, less costly, and more effective than institutionalization.” Under the agreement the state will establish a new program and approach for delivering mental health services called Wraparound with Intensive Services or “WISe.” The program will help prevent adverse outcomes for youth with serious mental illness such as hospitalization, long-­term institutionalization in psychiatric facilities, and placements in the foster care and juvenile justice systems. These are all experiences Smith has known personally and doesn’t want repeated for other kids. “This case,” says Smith, “was about doing something to make a difference so kids with illnesses like mine won’t have to go through the things I did.” Leecia Welch, Senior Attorney at the National Center for Youth Law, agrees. “Approval of this settlement has set the stage for increasing access to appropriate mental health services for Washington’s most vulnerable youth. Better access to care means better outcomes for kids like Phillip.”