The General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5556 aims to enhance service delivery for young adults aged 17 to 22 who have co-occurring mental health and intellectual disabilities or autism diagnoses. The bill mandates the Commissioners of Children and Families, Developmental Services, Education, Social Services, and Mental Health and Addiction Services to design and implement a comprehensive system to address service gaps for this demographic. This system will include memoranda of understanding among the commissioners, resource calculations for service provision, an inventory of residential behavioral health options, and the establishment of psychiatric residential treatment facilities that may qualify for federal Medicaid reimbursement.

Additionally, the bill requires the commissioners to submit a joint report by October 1, 2026, detailing state appropriations needed for implementation, progress made in closing service gaps, and future recommendations. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, and is designed to implement recommendations from a prior study on complex care for young adults with these co-occurring diagnoses. The bill introduces new legal language while deleting outdated provisions, ensuring a streamlined approach to service delivery for this vulnerable population.