About

Background

In September 2007, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Medicaid Integrity Group established the Medicaid Integrity Institute (MII), the first national Medicaid program integrity training program. CMS executed an interagency agreement with the Executive Office for the United States Attorneys, Department of Justice to house the MII at the National Advocacy Center (NAC), located on the campus of the University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. The MII provides a unique opportunity for CMS to offer substantive training, technical assistance, and support to the States in a structured learning environment.

Mission

The mission of the MII is to provide effective training tailored to meet the ongoing needs of state Medicaid Program Integrity employees, with the goal of raising national program integrity performance standards and professionalism. By embracing and utilizing sound learning methodology and instructional design, coupled with progressive technology, the MII training staff endeavors to provide outstanding professional education.

Operating Statement

The MII focuses on developing a comprehensive program of study addressing aspects of Medicaid program integrity to include: fraud investigation, data mining and analysis, and case development. Instructors at the MII include state Medicaid program administrators and subject matter experts, federal and state law enforcement officers, private consultants and academia. Training at the MII is at no cost to the states. The training needs of the employees from the Medicaid program integrity units will be primarily addressed; however, employees from other Medicaid components may also be able to participate depending on the course objectives. At this time, only state employees are eligible to attend MII training programs. The MII intends to obtain certifications and accreditation for its programs.

Location of the Institute

The NAC is designed as a residential state-of-the-art educational facility tailored to meet the training needs of adult professional learners. The NAC, which opened in 1998, contains 262,000 square feet of space. It has two advocacy suites with associated lecture halls, ten courtrooms, video recording and viewing control rooms, video playback facilities, and conference rooms. The facility also includes three large lecture halls, a multi-purpose assembly room, two computer labs, a video production studio, and other specialized space for training. The NAC has residential and dining components consisting of 264 single occupancy guest rooms, a dining hall, a full function kitchen, a lounge, exercise facilities, and related services. Additional lodging is available across the street at the Inn at USC-Wyndham Garden.

In addition to the MII, the NAC houses two training organizations: the United States Department of Justice Office of Legal Education and the National Bankruptcy Training Institute. These organizations conduct training for the federal, state, and local prosecutors and other legal personnel at the facility which is cooperatively staffed and operated. More than 15,000 people receive instruction at the NAC annually.