COLUMBUS, OHIO — Following a high-profile advocacy campaign led by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Ohio Chapter, CareSource has officially suspended its plan to implement a two-year retroactive recoupment policy. The move marks a massive win for Ohio’s behavioral health workforce, removing a potential financial burden from hundreds of clinical social workers in the state.
.The reversal comes after NASW Ohio mobilized a coordinated statewide response to challenge the policy, which threatened the financial stability of mental health and substance use disorder services. The chapter’s grassroots efforts included:
- Public Protest & Mobilization: Organizing social workers and providers to speak out against the financial burden of retroactive audits.
- Mass Petition: Gathering over 1,000 signatures directed to the Ohio Department of Medicaid to demand intervention.
- Media Advocacy: Generating significant press coverage to bring public transparency to the impact on community care.
"This is a substantial advocacy win that demonstrates the power of organized social work," said Danielle Smith, executive director of the NASW Ohio Chapter. "By standing together, we prevented behavioral health practices, including practices run by clinical social workers, from having to pay clawbacks ranging from $6,000 to more than $100,000.”
“While CareSource currently describes the clawback as ‘suspended,’ we remain vigilant to ensure this policy is not reinstated in the future," Smith continued.
The success of this campaign highlights the critical role of NASW chapters in protecting the profession and the communities they serve. NASW Ohio credits the victory to the thousands of social workers who mobilized to protect the integrity of Ohio’s behavioral health system.