Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB05677 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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4		-	Substitute House Bill No. 5677
	7	+	General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5677
	8	+	January Session, 2021
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6		-	Public Act No. 21-36
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8	11
9	12		AN ACT CONCERNING TH E AVAILABILITY OF COMMUNITY
10	13		VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES UNDER MEDIC AID.
11	14		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
12	15		Assembly convened:
13	16
14		-	Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) (a) As used in this section:
15		-	(1) "Community violence" means intentional acts of interpersonal
16		-	violence committed in public areas by individuals who are not family
17		-	members or intimate partners of the victim;
18		-	(2) "Community violence prevention services" means evidence-
19		-	based, trauma-informed, supportive and nonpsychotherapeutic
20		-	services provided by a certified violence prevention professional, within
21		-	or outside of a clinical setting, for the purpose of promoting improved
22		-	health outcomes and positive behavioral change, preventing injury
23		-	recidivism and reducing the likelihood that individuals who are victims
24		-	of community violence will commit or promote violence themselves.
25		-	"Community violence prevention services" may include the provision of
26		-	peer support and counseling, mentorship, conflict mediation, crisis
27		-	intervention, targeted case management, referrals to certified or licensed
28		-	health care professionals or social services providers, patient education
29		-	or screening services to victims of community violence;
30		-	(3) "Interpersonal violence" means the intentional use of physical Substitute House Bill No. 5677
	17	+	Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) (a) As used in this section: 1
	18	+	(1) "Community violence" means intentional acts of interpersonal 2
	19	+	violence committed by individuals who are not intimately related to the 3
	20	+	victim. 4
	21	+	(2) "Community violence prevention services" means evidence-5
	22	+	based, trauma-informed, supportive and nonpsychotherapeutic 6
	23	+	services provided by a qualified violence prevention professional, 7
	24	+	within or outside of a clinical setting, for the purpose of promoting 8
	25	+	improved health outcomes and positive behavioral change, preventing 9
	26	+	injury recidivism and reducing the likelihood that individuals who are 10
	27	+	victims of community violence will commit or promote violence 11
	28	+	themselves. "Community violence prevention services" may include the 12
	29	+	provision of peer support and counseling, mentorship, conflict 13
	30	+	mediation, crisis intervention, targeted case management, referrals to 14
	31	+	certified or licensed health care professionals or social services 15
	32	+	providers, patient education or screening services to victims of 16
	33	+	community violence. 17
	34	+	(3) "Prevention professional" has the same meaning as described by 18 Substitute Bill No. 5677
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32		-	Public Act No. 21-36 2 of 4
33	36
34		-	force or power against other persons by an individual or small group of
35		-	individuals;
36		-	(4) "Prevention professional" has the same meaning as described by
37		-	the National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC), or its successor, under
38		-	NUCC Code Number 405300000X; and
39		-	(5) "Certified violence prevention professional" means a prevention
40		-	professional who meets all of the conditions specified in subsection (c)
41		-	of this section.
42		-	(b) (1) On or before July 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Social Services,
43		-	shall amend the Medicaid state plan to make community violence
44		-	prevention services available, to the extent permitted by federal law, to
45		-	any Medicaid beneficiary who has: (A) Received medical treatment for
46		-	an injury sustained as a result of an act of community violence, and (B)
47		-	been referred by a certified or licensed health care provider or social
48		-	services provider to receive community violence prevention services
49		-	from a certified violence prevention professional, after such provider
50		-	determines such beneficiary to be at elevated risk of a violent injury or
51		-	retaliation resulting from another act of community violence.
52		-	(2) The Commissioner of Social Services shall seek any federal
53		-	approvals necessary to implement this section, including, but not
54		-	limited to, any state plan amendments or federal waivers by the federal
55		-	Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This subsection shall be
56		-	implemented only to the extent that federal financial participation is
57		-	available, and any necessary federal approvals have been obtained.
58		-	(3) The provisions of this subsection shall be implemented only to the
59		-	extent permitted by federal law.
60		-	(c) Any prevention professional seeking certification as a certified
61		-	violence prevention professional shall complete an accredited training
62		-	and certification program for certified violence prevention Substitute House Bill No. 5677
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64		-	Public Act No. 21-36 3 of 4
	41	+	the National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC), or its successor, under 19
	42	+	NUCC Code Number 405300000X. 20
	43	+	(4) "Qualified violence prevention professional" means a prevention 21
	44	+	professional who meets all of the conditions specified in subsection (c) 22
	45	+	of this section. 23
	46	+	(b) (1) On or before July 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Social Services, 24
	47	+	in consultation with the Commissioner of Public Health, shall amend 25
	48	+	the Medicaid state plan to make community violence prevention 26
	49	+	services available, to the extent permitted by federal law, to any 27
	50	+	Medicaid beneficiary who has: (A) Received medical treatment for an 28
	51	+	injury sustained as a result of an act of community violence, and (B) been 29
	52	+	referred by a certified or licensed health care provider or social services 30
	53	+	provider to receive community violence prevention services from a 31
	54	+	qualified violence prevention professional, after such provider 32
	55	+	determines such beneficiary to be at elevated risk of a violent injury or 33
	56	+	retaliation resulting from another act of community violence. 34
	57	+	(2) The Commissioner of Social Services shall seek any federal 35
	58	+	approvals necessary to implement this section, including, but not 36
	59	+	limited to, any state plan amendments or federal waivers by the federal 37
	60	+	Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This subsection shall be 38
	61	+	implemented only to the extent that federal financial participation is 39
	62	+	available, and any necessary federal approvals have been obtained. 40
	63	+	(c) Any prevention professional seeking certification as a qualified 41
	64	+	violence prevention professional shall: 42
	65	+	(1) Complete at least six months of full-time equivalent experience in 43
	66	+	providing community violence prevention services through 44
	67	+	employment, volunteer work or as part of an internship experience; 45
	68	+	(2) Complete an accredited training and certification program for 46
	69	+	qualified violence prevention professionals, approved in accordance 47
	70	+	with subsection (d) of this section, or be certified as a violence 48
	71	+	prevention professional by the Health Alliance for Violence 49 Substitute Bill No. 5677
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66		-	professionals, approved in accordance with subsection (d) of this section
67		-	and maintain such certification.
68		-	(d) On or before January 1, 2022, the Department of Public Health
69		-	shall approve at least one accredited training and certification program
70		-	for certified violence prevention professionals. Such program shall
71		-	include:
72		-	(1) At least thirty-five hours of initial training, collectively addressing
73		-	all of the following:
74		-	(A) The profound effects of trauma and violence and the basics of
75		-	trauma-informed care;
76		-	(B) Community violence prevention strategies, including, but not
77		-	limited to, conflict mediation and retaliation prevention related to
78		-	community violence;
79		-	(C) Case management and advocacy practices; and
80		-	(D) Patient privacy and the federal Health Insurance Portability and
81		-	Accountability Act of 1996, P.L. 104-191, as amended from time to time,
82		-	(HIPAA); and
83		-	(2) At least six hours of continuing education every two years.
84		-	(e) Any entity that employs or contracts with a certified violence
85		-	prevention professional to provide community violence prevention
86		-	services shall:
87		-	(1) Maintain documentation that the certified violence prevention
88		-	professional has met all of the conditions described in subsection (c) of
89		-	this section; and
90		-	(2) Ensure that the certified violence prevention professional is
91		-	providing community violence prevention services in compliance with Substitute House Bill No. 5677
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93		-	Public Act No. 21-36 4 of 4
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95		-	any applicable standards of care, rules, regulations and governing law
96		-	of the state or federal government.
97		-	(f) No person, unless certified as a violence prevention professional
98		-	pursuant to this section, may use the title "certified violence prevention
99		-	professional" or make use of any title, words, letters, abbreviations or
100		-	insignia indicating or implying that he or she is a certified violence
101		-	prevention professional.
102		-	(g) Nothing in this section shall alter the scope of practice for any
103		-	health care professional.
	78	+	Intervention prior to October 1, 2021; 50
	79	+	(3) Complete annually at least four hours of continuing education, 51
	80	+	offered by the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention or any other 52
	81	+	provider approved by the Commissioner of Public Health, in the field 53
	82	+	of community violence prevention services; and 54
	83	+	(4) Satisfy any other requirements established by the Commissioner 55
	84	+	of Public Health for certification as a qualified violence prevention 56
	85	+	professional. 57
	86	+	(d) On or before January 1, 2022, the Department of Public Health 58
	87	+	shall approve at least one governmental or nongovernmental 59
	88	+	accrediting body with expertise in community violence prevention 60
	89	+	services to review and approve training and certification programs for 61
	90	+	qualified violence prevention professionals. The accrediting body shall 62
	91	+	approve programs that such body determines, in its discretion, will 63
	92	+	adequately prepare individuals to provide community violence 64
	93	+	prevention services to individuals who are victims of community 65
	94	+	violence. Such programs shall include at least thirty-five hours of 66
	95	+	training, collectively addressing all of the following: 67
	96	+	(1) The profound effects of trauma and violence and the basics of 68
	97	+	trauma-informed care; 69
	98	+	(2) Community violence prevention strategies, including, but not 70
	99	+	limited to, conflict mediation and retaliation prevention related to 71
	100	+	community violence; 72
	101	+	(3) Case management and advocacy practices; and 73
	102	+	(4) Patient privacy and the federal Health Insurance Portability and 74
	103	+	Accountability Act of 1996, P.L. 104-191, as amended from time to time, 75
	104	+	(HIPAA). 76
	105	+	(e) Any entity that employs or contracts with a qualified violence 77
	106	+	prevention professional to provide community violence prevention 78 Substitute Bill No. 5677
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	113	+	services shall: 79
	114	+	(1) Maintain documentation that the qualified violence prevention 80
	115	+	professional has met all of the conditions described in subsection (c) of 81
	116	+	this section; and 82
	117	+	(2) Ensure that the qualified violence prevention professional is 83
	118	+	providing community violence prevention services in compliance with 84
	119	+	any applicable standards of care, rules, regulations and governing law 85
	120	+	of the state or federal government. 86
	121	+	(f) Nothing in this section shall alter the scope of practice for any 87
	122	+	health care professional or authorize the delivery of health care services 88
	123	+	in a setting or in a manner that is not currently authorized. 89
	124	+	This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
	125	+	sections:
	126	+
	127	+	Section 1 October 1, 2021 New section
	128	+
	129	+
	130	+	Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
	131	+	In Section 1(a)(2) and Section 1(a)(3) the definitions of "Community
	132	+	violence prevention services" and "Prevention professional" were
	133	+	redrafted for clarity and consistency with standard drafting
	134	+	conventions.
	135	+
	136	+	PH Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO
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