1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
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3 HOUSE BILL 3449 By: Boatman
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to mental health workforce
7 development; amending Section 1, Chapter 112, O.S.L.
8 2023 (63 O.S. Supp. 2023, Section 3278.1), which
8 relates to Oklahoma State University Medical
9 Authority Behavioral Health Workforce Development
9 Fund; creating a revolving fund for the University
10 Hospitals Authority and Trust; providing purpose of
10 pilot program; and declaring an emergency.
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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 112, O.S.L.
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15 2023 (63 O.S. Supp. 2023, Section 3278.1), is amended to read as
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16 follows:
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17 Section 3278.1 A. There is hereby created in the State
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18 Treasury a revolving fund for the Oklahoma State University Medical
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19 Authority to be designated the "Oklahoma State University Medical
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20 Authority Behavioral Health Workforce Development Fund". The fund
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21 shall be a continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations,
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22 and shall consist of appropriated revenues and private endowments.
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23 All monies accruing to the credit of said fund are hereby
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24 appropriated and may be budgeted and expended by the Oklahoma State
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Req. No. 9827 Page 1
 1 University Medical Authority for the purpose of designing and
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2 implementing a pilot program at behavioral health facilities, the
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3 purpose of which is to provide for behavioral health workforce
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4 development and access to behavioral health professionals as
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5 provided by law. The purpose of the pilot program includes, but is
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6 not limited to, bed conversion and new beds; renovations at
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7 behavioral health facilities to accommodate new licensed acute or
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8 residential treatment beds; reallocation of beds from adult acute to
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9 child/adolescent acute beds; relocation assistance for licensed
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10 behavioral health staff currently living out of state; upskilling
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11 existing behavioral health workforce; adding new psychiatric
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12 residents psychiatric and psychological residencies, internships and
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13 post-doctoral training programs; providing social work scholarships;
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14 providing mental health nursing scholarships; creating one-time
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15 private-sector workforce innovation grants; providing licensure
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16 preparation assistance; and creating a behavioral health trauma fund
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17 for intensive home and community-based services. Expenditures from
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18 the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer
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19 against claims filed as prescribed by law with the Director of the
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20 Office of Management and Enterprise Services for approval and
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21 payment.
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22 B. There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving
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23 fund for the University Hospitals Authority and Trust to be
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24 designated the "University Hospitals Authority and Trust Behavioral
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Req. No. 9827 Page 2
 1 Health Workforce Development Fund". The fund shall be a continuing
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2 fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall consist of
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3 appropriated revenues and private endowments. All monies accruing
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4 to the credit of said fund are hereby appropriated and may be
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5 budgeted and expended by the University Hospitals Authority and
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6 Trust for the purpose of designing and implementing a pilot program
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7 at behavioral health facilities, the purpose of which is to provide
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8 for behavioral health workforce development and access to behavioral
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9 health professionals as provided by law. The purpose of the pilot
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10 program includes, but is not limited to, bed conversion and new
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11 beds; renovations at behavioral health facilities to accommodate new
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12 licensed acute or residential treatment beds; reallocation of beds
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13 from adult acute to child/adolescent acute beds; relocation
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14 assistance for licensed behavioral health staff currently living out
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15 of state; upskilling existing behavioral health workforce; adding
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16 new psychiatric and psychological residencies, internships and post-
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17 doctoral training programs; providing social work scholarships;
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18 providing mental health nursing scholarships; creating one-time
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19 private-sector workforce innovation grants; providing licensure
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20 preparation assistance; and creating a behavioral health trauma fund
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21 for intensive home and community-based services. Expenditures from
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22 the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the State Treasurer
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23 against claims filed as prescribed by law with the Director of the
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 1 Office of Management and Enterprise Services for approval and
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2 payment.
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3 B. C. The Oklahoma State University Medical Authority and the
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4 University Hospitals Authority and Trust shall prepare a report for
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5 the Legislature on the results of the first year of funding,
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6 including the number of professionals retained and recruited, and
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7 the expected benefits of the program. The report shall be delivered
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8 to relevant health care committee and appropriations subcommittee
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9 chairs following the first full year of implementation.
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10 SECTION 2. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
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11 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
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12 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
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13 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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15 59-2-9872 TJ 01/15/24
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