The proposed bill, HB 5527, aims to establish a statewide Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) program to address the behavioral health needs of children and youth aged two to twenty-one. This program is designed to provide immediate crisis intervention and stabilization services, thereby preventing unnecessary hospitalizations and fulfilling Medicaid's Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) obligations. The MRSS services will be accessible in natural environments such as homes, schools, and community facilities, with a focus on family-centered, trauma-informed, and developmentally appropriate care.

The bill introduces a new chapter titled "Children's Mobile Response and Stabilization Services Act" within Title 40.1 of the General Laws, which includes definitions, program structure, service delivery, funding, provider requirements, and monitoring. It specifies that MRSS will operate twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, with a response time of no more than one hour from the initial request for assistance. Services will be available to all children in crisis without requiring formal referrals or prior authorization.

The bill authorizes the state Medicaid agency to submit a state plan amendment to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to establish MRSS as a Medicaid-reimbursable service under the EPSDT benefit, ensuring that it is a statewide service available to all eligible Medicaid recipients in Rhode Island without geographic or financial barriers. Additionally, the state will allocate general revenue funds to cover services not funded by Medicaid and to address funding gaps for family education, peer support services, and workforce development.

The bill allocates six million dollars from the state general fund to support the implementation of MRSS, which includes provider certification, workforce development, expansion of crisis response teams to underserved regions, and public awareness campaigns to inform families about the availability of MRSS. The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) will oversee the program's implementation, including data collection on service utilization and patient outcomes, and will provide annual reports to the General Assembly on the program's effectiveness and areas for improvement. The act will take effect upon passage.