The Senate Concurrent Resolution, introduced by Senator Barrow, urges the Louisiana Department of Health and commercial health insurance payors to increase reimbursement rates for behavioral health crisis centers that operate under a crisis receiving center license. Established in 2022, the Louisiana crisis response system aims to support individuals with mental illness, reduce emergency room visits, and minimize law enforcement involvement. Behavioral health crisis centers provide essential short-term crisis intervention services, but the current Medicaid reimbursement rates are insufficient to cover the costs associated with the required staffing and care for higher acuity patients.

The resolution highlights that the per diem cost for providing the necessary care at these centers is significantly higher than the current Medicaid reimbursement rate, which has resulted in a lack of providers across the state. Currently, only one licensed behavioral health crisis care provider operates in Louisiana due to these financial constraints. The resolution calls for an adjustment in reimbursement rates to ensure that crisis stabilization services can be effectively delivered, thereby improving access to mental health care in the community.