A study in Psychiatric Services examined service utilization by Medicaid beneficiaries receiving mental health and substance abuse services through fee-for-service (FFS) plans.  The study found that 11.7 percent of Medicaid beneficiaries received mental health or substance abuse services, representing 10.9 percent and 0.7 percent of all Medicaid beneficiaries, respectively.

Ireys, H. T., et. al. (2010). Medicaid beneficiaries using mental health or substance abuse services in fee-for-services plans in 13 states, 2003. Psychiatric Services, 61: 871-877. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.61.9.871. http://psychservices.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/abstract/61/9/871

Authors: Henry T. Ireys, Allison L. Barrett, Jeffrey A. Buck, Thomas W. Croghan, Melanie Au, and Judith L. Teich