Connecticut 2023 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB06900 Compare Versions

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	7	+	General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 6900
	8	+	January Session, 2023
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4		-	Substitute House Bill No. 6900
5		-
6		-	Public Act No. 23-90
7	12
8	13
9	14		AN ACT CONCERNING THE TRANSFORMING CHILDREN'S
10	15		BEHAVIORAL HEALTH POLICY AND PLANNING COMMITTEE.
11	16		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
12	17		Assembly convened:
13	18
14		-	Section 1. Section 2-137 of the general statutes is repealed and the
15		-	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage):
16		-	(a) There is established a Transforming Children's Behavioral [and
17		-	Mental] Health Policy and [Oversight] Planning Committee. The
18		-	committee shall evaluate the availability and efficacy of prevention,
19		-	early intervention, and [mental] behavioral health treatment services
20		-	and options for children from birth to age eighteen and make
21		-	recommendations to the General Assembly and executive agencies
22		-	regarding the governance and administration of the [mental] behavioral
23		-	health care system for children. The committee shall be within the
24		-	Legislative Department. For purposes of this section, "behavioral
25		-	health" means mental health and substance use disorders, as well as
26		-	overall psychological well-being.
27		-	(b) The committee shall consist of the following members:
28		-	(1) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing
29		-	committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
30		-	relating to public health, human services, children and appropriations Substitute House Bill No. 6900
	19	+	Section 1. Section 2-137 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
	20	+	following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2023): 2
	21	+	(a) There is established a Transforming Children's Behavioral [and 3
	22	+	Mental] Health Policy and [Oversight] Planning Committee. The 4
	23	+	committee shall evaluate the availability and efficacy of prevention, 5
	24	+	early intervention, and [mental] behavioral health treatment services 6
	25	+	and options for children from birth to age eighteen and make 7
	26	+	recommendations to the General Assembly and executive agencies 8
	27	+	regarding the governance and administration of the [mental] 9
	28	+	behavioral health care system for children. The committee shall be 10
	29	+	within the Legislative Department. For purposes of this section, 11
	30	+	"behavioral health" means mental health and substance use disorders, 12
	31	+	as well as overall psychological well-being. 13
	32	+	(b) The committee shall consist of the following members: 14
	33	+	(1) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing 15
	34	+	committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 16
	35	+	relating to public health, human services, children and appropriations 17
	36	+	and the budgets of state agencies, or their designees; 18 Substitute Bill No. 6900
31	37
32		-	Public Act No. 23-90 2 of 7
33	38
34		-	and the budgets of state agencies, or their designees;
35		-	(2) Three appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives,
36		-	one of whom shall be a member of the General Assembly and two of
37		-	whom shall be providers of [mental, emotional or] behavioral health
38		-	services for children in the state;
39		-	(3) Three appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one
40		-	of whom shall be a member of the General Assembly and two of whom
41		-	shall be representatives of private advocacy groups that provide
42		-	services for children and families in the state;
43		-	(4) (A) Two appointed by the chairperson of the committee selected
44		-	by the speaker of the House of Representatives pursuant to subsection
45		-	(e) of this section, one of whom shall be a child or youth advocate; and
46		-	(B) two appointed by the chairperson of the committee selected by the
47		-	president pro tempore of the Senate pursuant to subsection (e) of this
48		-	section, one of whom shall be a child or youth advocate;
49		-	[(4)] (5) Two appointed by the majority leader of the House of
50		-	Representatives, who shall be representatives of children's hospitals;
51		-	[(5)] (6) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall
52		-	be a representative of public school superintendents in the state;
53		-	[(6)] (7) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of
54		-	Representatives, who shall be representatives of families with children
55		-	who have been diagnosed with [mental, emotional or] behavioral health
56		-	disorders;
57		-	[(7)] (8) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who
58		-	shall be providers of [mental or] behavioral health services;
59		-	[(8)] (9) The Commissioners of Children and Families, Correction,
60		-	Developmental Services, Early Childhood, Education, Insurance, Substitute House Bill No. 6900
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62		-	Public Act No. 23-90 3 of 7
	43	+	(2) Three appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 19
	44	+	one of whom shall be a member of the General Assembly and two of 20
	45	+	whom shall be providers of [mental, emotional or] behavioral health 21
	46	+	services for children in the state; 22
	47	+	(3) Three appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one 23
	48	+	of whom shall be a member of the General Assembly and two of 24
	49	+	whom shall be representatives of private advocacy groups that 25
	50	+	provide services for children and families in the state; 26
	51	+	(4) (A) Two appointed by the chairperson of the committee selected 27
	52	+	by the speaker of the House of Representatives pursuant to subsection 28
	53	+	(e) of this section, one of whom shall be a child or youth advocate; and 29
	54	+	(B) two appointed by the chairperson of the committee selected by the 30
	55	+	president pro tempore of the Senate pursuant to subsection (e) of this 31
	56	+	section, one of whom shall be a child or youth advocate; 32
	57	+	[(4)] (5) Two appointed by the majority leader of the House of 33
	58	+	Representatives, who shall be representatives of children's hospitals; 34
	59	+	[(5)] (6) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who 35
	60	+	shall be a representative of public school superintendents in the state; 36
	61	+	[(6)] (7) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of 37
	62	+	Representatives, who shall be representatives of families with children 38
	63	+	who have been diagnosed with [mental, emotional or] behavioral 39
	64	+	health disorders; 40
	65	+	[(7)] (8) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who 41
	66	+	shall be providers of [mental or] behavioral health services; 42
	67	+	[(8)] (9) The Commissioners of Children and Families, Correction, 43
	68	+	Developmental Services, Early Childhood, Education, Insurance, 44
	69	+	Mental Health and Addiction Services, Public Health and Social 45
	70	+	Services, or their designees; 46
	71	+	[(9)] (10) The executive director of the Office of Health Strategy, or 47 Substitute Bill No. 6900
63	72
64		-	Mental Health and Addiction Services, Public Health and Social
65		-	Services, or their designees;
66		-	[(9)] (10) The executive director of the Office of Health Strategy, or
67		-	the executive director's designee;
68		-	[(10)] (11) The Child Advocate, or the Child Advocate's designee;
69		-	[(11)] (12) The Healthcare Advocate, or the Healthcare Advocate's
70		-	designee;
71		-	[(12)] (13) The executive director of the Court Support Services
72		-	Division of the Judicial Branch, or the executive director's designee;
73		-	[(13)] (14) The executive director of the Commission on Women,
74		-	Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, or the executive director's
75		-	designee;
76		-	[(14)] (15) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or
77		-	the secretary's designee; and
78		-	[(15)] (16) One representative from each administrative services
79		-	organization under contract with the Department of Social Services to
80		-	provide such services for recipients of assistance under the HUSKY
81		-	Health program, who shall be ex-officio, nonvoting members.
82		-	(c) Any member of the committee appointed under subdivisions (1)
83		-	to [(7)] (8), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section may be a member
84		-	of the General Assembly.
85		-	(d) Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority.
86		-	(e) The chairpersons of the committee shall be (1) the Secretary of the
87		-	Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary's designee, and [a
88		-	member] (2) two members of the General Assembly, [selected jointly]
89		-	one each selected by the speaker of the House of Representatives and Substitute House Bill No. 6900
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91		-	Public Act No. 23-90 4 of 7
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93		-	the president pro tempore of the Senate from among the members
94		-	serving pursuant to subdivision (1), (2) or (3) of subsection (b) of this
95		-	section. [shall be co-chairpersons of the committee. Such co-
96		-	chairpersons] The three chairpersons shall schedule the first meeting of
97		-	the committee, which shall be held not later than [sixty days after May
98		-	4, 2022] September 1, 2023.
99		-	(f) Members of the committee shall serve without compensation,
100		-	except for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their
101		-	duties.
102		-	(g) Not later than [January] December 1, 2023, the committee shall
103		-	report, in accordance with section 11-4a, to the joint standing
104		-	committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
105		-	relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, public
106		-	health, human services and children, and the [Secretary of the] Office of
107		-	Policy and Management, regarding the following:
108		-	(1) Any statutory and budgetary changes needed concerning the
109		-	[mental] behavioral health system of prevention, development and
110		-	treatment that the committee recommends to (A) improve
111		-	developmental [, mental health] and behavioral health outcomes for
112		-	children; (B) improve transparency and accountability with respect to
113		-	state-funded services for children and youth with an emphasis on goals
114		-	identified by the committee for community-based programs and
115		-	facility-based interventions; and (C) promote the efficient sharing of
116		-	information by state and state-funded agencies to ensure the regular
117		-	collection and reporting of data regarding children and families' access
118		-	to, utilization of and benefit from services necessary to promote public
119		-	health and [mental and] behavioral health outcomes for children and
120		-	youth and their families; [.]
121		-	(2) The gaps in services identified by the committee with respect to
122		-	children and families involved in the [mental] behavioral health system, Substitute House Bill No. 6900
	78	+	the executive director's designee; 48
	79	+	[(10)] (11) The Child Advocate, or the Child Advocate's designee; 49
	80	+	[(11)] (12) The Healthcare Advocate, or the Healthcare Advocate's 50
	81	+	designee; 51
	82	+	[(12)] (13) The executive director of the Court Support Services 52
	83	+	Division of the Judicial Branch, or the executive director's designee; 53
	84	+	[(13)] (14) The executive director of the Commission on Women, 54
	85	+	Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, or the executive director's 55
	86	+	designee; 56
	87	+	[(14)] (15) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or 57
	88	+	the secretary's designee; and 58
	89	+	[(15)] (16) One representative from each administrative services 59
	90	+	organization under contract with the Department of Social Services to 60
	91	+	provide such services for recipients of assistance under the HUSKY 61
	92	+	Health program, who shall be ex-officio, nonvoting members. 62
	93	+	(c) Any member of the committee appointed under subdivisions (1) 63
	94	+	to [(7)] (8), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section may be a member 64
	95	+	of the General Assembly. 65
	96	+	(d) Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. 66
	97	+	(e) The chairpersons of the committee shall be (1) the Secretary of 67
	98	+	the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary's designee, and 68
	99	+	[a member] (2) two members of the General Assembly, [selected 69
	100	+	jointly] one each selected by the speaker of the House of 70
	101	+	Representatives and the president pro tempore of the Senate from 71
	102	+	among the members serving pursuant to subdivision (1), (2) or (3) of 72
	103	+	subsection (b) of this section. [shall be co-chairpersons of the 73
	104	+	committee. Such co-chairpersons] The three chairpersons shall 74
	105	+	schedule the first meeting of the committee, which shall be held not 75 Substitute Bill No. 6900
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124		-	Public Act No. 23-90 5 of 7
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126		-	and recommendations to address such gaps in services;
127		-	(3) Strengths and barriers identified by the committee that support or
128		-	impede the [mental] behavioral health needs of children and youth with
129		-	specific recommendations for reforms;
130		-	(4) An examination of the way state agencies can work collaboratively
131		-	through school-based efforts and other processes to improve [mental
132		-	health and] developmental and behavioral health outcomes for
133		-	children;
134		-	(5) An examination of disproportionate access and outcomes across
135		-	the [mental] behavioral health care system for children of color;
136		-	(6) An examination of disproportionate access and outcomes across
137		-	the [mental] behavioral health care system for children with
138		-	developmental disabilities;
139		-	(7) A plan to ensure a quality assurance framework for facilities and
140		-	programs that are part of the [mental] behavioral health care system and
141		-	are operated privately or by the state that includes data regarding
142		-	efficacy and outcomes; and
143		-	(8) A governance structure for the children's [mental] behavioral
144		-	health system that will best facilitate the public policy and healthcare
145		-	goals of the state to ensure that all children and families, in urban, rural
146		-	and all other areas of the state, can access high-quality [mental]
147		-	behavioral health care.
148		-	(h) The committee [shall] may complete its duties under this section
149		-	after requesting consultation with one or more organizations that focus
150		-	on [the quality of services for children or research related to the well-
151		-	being of children, including, but not limited to, The Child Health and
152		-	Development Institute or Connecticut Voices for Children] children's
153		-	behavioral health. The committee may accept administrative support Substitute House Bill No. 6900
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155		-	Public Act No. 23-90 6 of 7
	112	+	later than [sixty days after May 4, 2022] July 1, 2023. 76
	113	+	(f) Members of the committee shall serve without compensation, 77
	114	+	except for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their 78
	115	+	duties. 79
	116	+	(g) Not later than [January] December 1, 2023, the committee shall 80
	117	+	report, in accordance with section 11-4a, to the joint standing 81
	118	+	committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 82
	119	+	relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, public 83
	120	+	health, human services and children, and the [Secretary of the] Office 84
	121	+	of Policy and Management, regarding the following: 85
	122	+	(1) Any statutory and budgetary changes needed concerning the 86
	123	+	[mental] behavioral health system of prevention, development and 87
	124	+	treatment that the committee recommends to (A) improve 88
	125	+	developmental [, mental health] and behavioral health outcomes for 89
	126	+	children; (B) improve transparency and accountability with respect to 90
	127	+	state-funded services for children and youth with an emphasis on 91
	128	+	goals identified by the committee for community-based programs and 92
	129	+	facility-based interventions; and (C) promote the efficient sharing of 93
	130	+	information by state and state-funded agencies to ensure the regular 94
	131	+	collection and reporting of data regarding children and families' access 95
	132	+	to, utilization of and benefit from services necessary to promote public 96
	133	+	health and [mental and] behavioral health outcomes for children and 97
	134	+	youth and their families; [.] 98
	135	+	(2) The gaps in services identified by the committee with respect to 99
	136	+	children and families involved in the [mental] behavioral health 100
	137	+	system, and recommendations to address such gaps in services; 101
	138	+	(3) Strengths and barriers identified by the committee that support 102
	139	+	or impede the [mental] behavioral health needs of children and youth 103
	140	+	with specific recommendations for reforms; 104
	141	+	(4) An examination of the way state agencies can work 105
	142	+	collaboratively through school-based efforts and other processes to 106 Substitute Bill No. 6900
156	143
157		-	and technical and research assistance from any [such] organization. [The
158		-	committee shall work in collaboration with any results-first initiative
159		-	implemented pursuant to any section of the general statutes or any
160		-	public or special act.]
161		-	(i) The committee shall be given access to data collected by the state
162		-	on matters related to children's behavioral health from the relevant state
163		-	agencies or directly from contracted administrative service
164		-	organizations, as applicable.
165		-	(j) The committee [shall] may include two or more subcommittees
166		-	chaired by a member of the committee to inform its recommendations.
167		-	The subcommittees may focus on: Workforce-related issues, school-
168		-	based health, prevention, and intermediate or acute care. [All] Any
169		-	subcommittees [shall] may examine gaps, reimbursement rates, parity
170		-	in the outcomes of services [and] or the efficacy of services.
171		-	(k) The committee shall, annually, establish a [time frame] work plan
172		-	for reviewing and making follow-up reports on the status or progress of
173		-	the committee's recommendations and activities. [Each report
174		-	submitted by the committee pursuant to this subsection] The work plan
175		-	shall include specific recommendations to improve outcomes related to
176		-	children's [mental, emotional or] behavioral health and a timeline
177		-	indicating dates by which specific tasks or outcomes should be
178		-	achieved.
179		-	(l) The committee shall develop a strategic plan that integrates the
180		-	recommendations identified pursuant to subsection (g) of this section.
181		-	[The plan may include short-term, medium-term and long-term goals.]
182		-	In developing the plan, the committee [shall] may collaborate with any
183		-	state agency with responsibilities relating to the [mental] behavioral
184		-	health system.
185		-	(m) Not later than [August 1, 2023] December 1, 2024, the committee Substitute House Bill No. 6900
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189		-	shall report, in accordance with section 11-4a, such plan, together with
190		-	an account of progress made toward the full implementation of such
191		-	plan, and any recommendations concerning the implementation of
192		-	identified goals in the plan to the joint standing committees of the
193		-	General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to
194		-	appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, public health, human
195		-	services and children, and the [Secretary of the] Office of Policy and
196		-	Management.
	149	+	improve [mental health and] developmental and behavioral health 107
	150	+	outcomes for children; 108
	151	+	(5) An examination of disproportionate access and outcomes across 109
	152	+	the [mental] behavioral health care system for children of color; 110
	153	+	(6) An examination of disproportionate access and outcomes across 111
	154	+	the [mental] behavioral health care system for children with 112
	155	+	developmental disabilities; 113
	156	+	(7) A plan to ensure a quality assurance framework for facilities and 114
	157	+	programs that are part of the [mental] behavioral health care system 115
	158	+	and are operated privately or by the state that includes data regarding 116
	159	+	efficacy and outcomes; and 117
	160	+	(8) A governance structure for the children's [mental] behavioral 118
	161	+	health system that will best facilitate the public policy and healthcare 119
	162	+	goals of the state to ensure that all children and families, in urban, 120
	163	+	rural and all other areas of the state, can access high-quality [mental] 121
	164	+	behavioral health care. 122
	165	+	(h) The committee [shall] may complete its duties under this section 123
	166	+	after requesting consultation with one or more organizations that focus 124
	167	+	on [the quality of services for children or research related to the well-125
	168	+	being of children, including, but not limited to, The Child Health and 126
	169	+	Development Institute or Connecticut Voices for Children] children's 127
	170	+	behavioral health. The committee may accept administrative support 128
	171	+	and technical and research assistance from any [such] organization. 129
	172	+	[The committee shall work in collaboration with any results-first 130
	173	+	initiative implemented pursuant to any section of the general statutes 131
	174	+	or any public or special act.] 132
	175	+	(i) The committee shall be given access to data collected by the state 133
	176	+	on matters related to children's behavioral health from the relevant 134
	177	+	state agencies or directly from contracted administrative service 135
	178	+	organizations, as applicable. 136 Substitute Bill No. 6900
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	184	+
	185	+	(j) The committee [shall] may include two or more subcommittees 137
	186	+	chaired by a member of the committee to inform its recommendations. 138
	187	+	The subcommittees may focus on: Workforce-related issues, school-139
	188	+	based health, prevention, and intermediate or acute care. [All] Any 140
	189	+	subcommittees [shall] may examine gaps, reimbursement rates, parity 141
	190	+	in the outcomes of services [and] or the efficacy of services. 142
	191	+	(k) The committee shall, annually, establish a [time frame] work 143
	192	+	plan for reviewing and making follow-up reports on the status or 144
	193	+	progress of the committee's recommendations and activities. [Each 145
	194	+	report submitted by the committee pursuant to this subsection] The 146
	195	+	work plan shall include specific recommendations to improve 147
	196	+	outcomes related to children's [mental, emotional or] behavioral health 148
	197	+	and a timeline indicating dates by which specific tasks or outcomes 149
	198	+	should be achieved. 150
	199	+	(l) The committee shall develop a strategic plan that integrates the 151
	200	+	recommendations identified pursuant to subsection (g) of this section. 152
	201	+	[The plan may include short-term, medium-term and long-term goals.] 153
	202	+	In developing the plan, the committee [shall] may collaborate with any 154
	203	+	state agency with responsibilities relating to the [mental] behavioral 155
	204	+	health system. 156
	205	+	(m) Not later than [August 1, 2023] December 1, 2024, the committee 157
	206	+	shall report, in accordance with section 11-4a, such plan, together with 158
	207	+	an account of progress made toward the full implementation of such 159
	208	+	plan, and any recommendations concerning the implementation of 160
	209	+	identified goals in the plan to the joint standing committees of the 161
	210	+	General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 162
	211	+	appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, public health, human 163
	212	+	services and children, and the [Secretary of the] Office of Policy and 164
	213	+	Management. 165
	214	+	This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
	215	+	sections:
	216	+	Substitute Bill No. 6900
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	223	+	Section 1 October 1, 2023 2-137
	224	+
	225	+	APP Joint Favorable Subst.
197	226