Substitute House Bill No. 5677
Public Act No. 21-36
AN ACT CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY OF COMMUNITY
VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES UNDER MEDICAID.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) (a) As used in this section:
(1) "Community violence" means intentional acts of interpersonal
violence committed in public areas by individuals who are not family
members or intimate partners of the victim;
(2) "Community violence prevention services" means evidence-
based, trauma-informed, supportive and nonpsychotherapeutic
services provided by a certified violence prevention professional, within
or outside of a clinical setting, for the purpose of promoting improved
health outcomes and positive behavioral change, preventing injury
recidivism and reducing the likelihood that individuals who are victims
of community violence will commit or promote violence themselves.
"Community violence prevention services" may include the provision of
peer support and counseling, mentorship, conflict mediation, crisis
intervention, targeted case management, referrals to certified or licensed
health care professionals or social services providers, patient education
or screening services to victims of community violence;
(3) "Interpersonal violence" means the intentional use of physical Substitute House Bill No. 5677
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force or power against other persons by an individual or small group of
individuals;
(4) "Prevention professional" has the same meaning as described by
the National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC), or its successor, under
NUCC Code Number 405300000X; and
(5) "Certified violence prevention professional" means a prevention
professional who meets all of the conditions specified in subsection (c)
of this section.
(b) (1) On or before July 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Social Services,
shall amend the Medicaid state plan to make community violence
prevention services available, to the extent permitted by federal law, to
any Medicaid beneficiary who has: (A) Received medical treatment for
an injury sustained as a result of an act of community violence, and (B)
been referred by a certified or licensed health care provider or social
services provider to receive community violence prevention services
from a certified violence prevention professional, after such provider
determines such beneficiary to be at elevated risk of a violent injury or
retaliation resulting from another act of community violence.
(2) The Commissioner of Social Services shall seek any federal
approvals necessary to implement this section, including, but not
limited to, any state plan amendments or federal waivers by the federal
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This subsection shall be
implemented only to the extent that federal financial participation is
available, and any necessary federal approvals have been obtained.
(3) The provisions of this subsection shall be implemented only to the
extent permitted by federal law.
(c) Any prevention professional seeking certification as a certified
violence prevention professional shall complete an accredited training
and certification program for certified violence prevention Substitute House Bill No. 5677
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professionals, approved in accordance with subsection (d) of this section
and maintain such certification.
(d) On or before January 1, 2022, the Department of Public Health
shall approve at least one accredited training and certification program
for certified violence prevention professionals. Such program shall
include:
(1) At least thirty-five hours of initial training, collectively addressing
all of the following:
(A) The profound effects of trauma and violence and the basics of
trauma-informed care;
(B) Community violence prevention strategies, including, but not
limited to, conflict mediation and retaliation prevention related to
community violence;
(C) Case management and advocacy practices; and
(D) Patient privacy and the federal Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act of 1996, P.L. 104-191, as amended from time to time,
(HIPAA); and
(2) At least six hours of continuing education every two years.
(e) Any entity that employs or contracts with a certified violence
prevention professional to provide community violence prevention
services shall:
(1) Maintain documentation that the certified violence prevention
professional has met all of the conditions described in subsection (c) of
this section; and
(2) Ensure that the certified violence prevention professional is
providing community violence prevention services in compliance with Substitute House Bill No. 5677
Public Act No. 21-36 4 of 4
any applicable standards of care, rules, regulations and governing law
of the state or federal government.
(f) No person, unless certified as a violence prevention professional
pursuant to this section, may use the title "certified violence prevention
professional" or make use of any title, words, letters, abbreviations or
insignia indicating or implying that he or she is a certified violence
prevention professional.
(g) Nothing in this section shall alter the scope of practice for any
health care professional.