This bill enacts the Temporary Youth Mental Health Services Program Act, which requires the establishment within the department of mental health and substance abuse services (the "department") of a temporary youth mental health services program to facilitate access to mental health services for youth, including substance use disorder services, to respond to mental health needs identified in an initial mental health screening through the portal, including those needs that may have resulted from the Covid-19 pandemic (the "program"). As used in this bill, "youth" means a person who is 18 or younger, and a person who is 21 or younger, but older than 18, who is receiving special education services.
REIMBURSEMENT TO PROVIDERS
This bill requires the department to reimburse providers who participate in the program for each mental health session with a youth, either in-person or via telehealth, up to a maximum of three sessions per youth client. However, the department may reimburse a provider for additional sessions, subject to available funding. In order to be eligible for reimbursement, this bill requires a provider to provide three mental health sessions to each youth the provider accepts as a client.
As used in this bill, a "provider" means a psychiatrist, psychologist, master's social worker, clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, professional counselor, and alcohol and drug abuse counselor, who is licensed, registered, permitted, or otherwise authorized by this state's law to deliver healthcare to patients in this state.
CONFIDENTIALITY
This bill requires a provider to maintain client confidentiality pursuant to state and federal law with regard to a youth client who participates in a mental health session with the provider that is reimbursed pursuant to the program.
DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT
This bill requires the department to do the following:
(1) Develop a process by which providers apply for, and demonstrate eligibility to receive, reimbursement from the program;
(2) Determine a reasonable rate of reimbursement of each mental health session with a youth client pursuant to the program, which rate must be the same regardless of whether the appointment is a telehealth or an in-person appointment; and
(3) Implement a statewide public awareness and outreach campaign about the program, with the intent that such campaign involve schools, neighborhood youth organizations, healthcare providers, faith-based organizations, and other community-based organizations that interact with youth at the local level when disseminating information about the program.
PROGRAM PORTAL
This bill requires the department to enter into an agreement with a vendor, no later than December 1, 2023, to create or use an existing website or web-based application as a portal available to youth and providers to facilitate the program. The portal must do the following:
(1) Serve as a platform for initial age-appropriate mental health screenings to determine if a youth may benefit from mental health support;
(2) Allow providers to register and share in-person or telehealth appointment availability;
(3) When possible, connect youth with providers who accept the youth's insurance or payment source that may cover the costs of ongoing mental health treatment, if the youth has insurance or a payment source; and
(4) Allow a youth, regardless of whether the youth has insurance or another payment source, to schedule telehealth or, when available, in-person appointments with a provider.
ANNUAL REPORT
On or before February 1, 2024, and on or before February 1 each year thereafter, this bill requires the department to deliver a report to the health and welfare committee of the senate, the health committee of the house of representatives, and the legislative librarian on the status of the program. The report must include the number of youth who received services under the program, aggregated information about the services provided to youth under the program, and other information the department deems relevant to the report. However, the department must ensure that no personally identifying information or other information protected under state or federal law is included in the report.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill authorizes the department to promulgate rules to effectuate this bill.