What's happening
This bill ensures Medicaid-eligible children referred for inpatient discharge can access needed mental health services for up to 30 days pending expedited review.
Why it matters
Guarantees immediate access to mental health services for Medicaid-eligible children being discharged from inpatient care, reducing gaps in care that could lead to worsening conditions or hospitalization recidivism.
Requires coordination between the referring physician and the receiving facility, aiming to ensure that treatment matches the child’s specific needs and is delivered in the most appropriate setting.
Mandates the state to collect data and assess the number and characteristics of children utilizing this expedited access, allowing for evidence-based improvements in mental health service delivery and potential development of new care models beyond residential treatment.
Establishes ongoing oversight and evaluation of the program's effectiveness, with the commissioner required to report on outcomes and recommend whether to continue, modify, or expand the approach—impacting future policy and resource allocation for children’s mental health.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Expand Kids' Mental Health Access
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to ways and means
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Print number 3751a
- Amend (t) and recommit to mental health
- Referred to mental health
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Faster Mental Health Access
In Senate Committee · Finance · Sponsor Robert Ortt
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3751--A
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 30, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. MAGNARELLI, GUNTHER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Mental Health -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to access to mental health services for children who are referred to the pre-admission certification committee
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 9.51 of the mental hygiene law is amended by adding two new subdivisions (h) and (i) to read as follows:
(h) Whenever a Medicaid eligible individual up to twenty-one years of age is referred to the pre-admission certification committee by a physician authorized to discharge such individual from an inpatient hospital, such individual shall have access to the mental health services for which they are determined to be in need of by the referring physician for up to thirty days pending the expedited review of the pre-admission certification committee. For the purposes of this subdivision, any referral by a physician for mental health services shall be done in consultation with the facility being considered for such referral. The commissioner, in carrying out the provisions of this subdivision, shall:
(1) develop, establish, and promulgate procedures to implement the provisions of this subdivision. Such procedures shall be based upon the specific needs of the individual and authorized in the environment necessary to achieve the purposes of treatment prescribed by the referring physician until such individuals are approved by the pre-admission certification committee or determined not to be eligible for such placement; and
(2) notify, cooperate, guide, and assist local agencies, local government units, community service boards, and/or providers of service.
(i) The commissioner shall:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04610-02-7
A. 3751--A 2
(1) collect information, including the characteristics and number of children requiring such thirty-day placements and expedited reviews by the pre-admission certification;
(2) assess the number of children admitted to residential treatment facilities through such means and recommend a plan to meet the future needs of such children, including but not limited to whether such referral method should be continued, whether there is a need to develop a new referral methodology and whether there is a need to develop a new program that is a level of care other than residential treatment facilities; and
(3) make an assessment of the success of the services so provided.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.