The bill introduces the "Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Accountability and Oversight Act," which aims to ensure transparency, fiscal responsibility, and service quality among certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs) operating in Rhode Island. It establishes a new chapter in Title 40.1 of the General Laws, outlining the purpose of the act, which includes setting standards for oversight and requiring regular reporting on performance metrics as defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The act mandates that CCBHCs submit annual, audited financial reports to the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) and a newly created joint oversight committee. These reports must include total revenue and expenditures, executive compensation, administrative overhead, and programmatic spending. Additionally, CCBHCs are required to report annually on performance metrics established by SAMHSA, as well as state-determined metrics, which may include patient satisfaction scores and emergency department diversion outcomes. All reports must be filed with EOHHS by December 31 of each year and made publicly available on the EOHHS website within thirty days of submission.

The joint oversight committee, composed of eight members from both the House of Representatives and the Senate, is tasked with reviewing CCBHC financial and performance reports, holding public hearings, and evaluating the impact of CCBHCs on state behavioral health policy. The committee is required to reflect bipartisan representation and include members from committees related to health, finance, and oversight.

Furthermore, the EOHHS is required to submit an annual report by January 31 of each year summarizing the statewide performance of all certified CCBHCs, compliance with financial and performance reporting standards, and recommendations for quality improvement, funding models, and regulation. The EOHHS is also empowered to promulgate rules and regulations to implement and enforce the reporting requirements of this chapter and to establish a standardized format and platform for annual CCBHC reporting.

The provisions of this act will take effect upon passage.