LC 46 1206S
The House Committee on Rules offers the following substitute to HB 677:
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Chapter 1 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to1
general provisions of health, so as to provide for certain placement procedures for children2
upon discharge from a hospital or psychiatric residential treatment facility in certain3
circumstances; to provide for related matters; to provide for applicability; to repeal4
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.5
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6
SECTION 1.7
Chapter 1 of Title 31 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general8
provisions of health, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:9
"31-1-26.10
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:11
(1) 'Acute psychiatric care' means a level of care that is highly structured for patients12
who are a risk to themselves or others.13
(2) 'Health benefit policy' means any individual or group plan, policy, or contract for14
major medical, hospitalization, or other healthcare services issued, delivered, issued for15
delivery, or renewed in this state by a healthcare corporation, health maintenance16
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organization, preferred provider organization, accident and sickness insurer, fraternal17
benefit society, hospital service corporation, medical service corporation, or any similar18
entity. Such term shall not include contracts executed by the State of Georgia on behalf19
of state employees under Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45.20
(b) Every hospital and psychiatric residential treatment facility in this state shall adhere21
to the following procedures for instances in which the parent, guardian, or legal custodian22
of a child not in the custody of the Department of Human Services through the Division of23
Children and Family Services who has received psychiatric care or acute psychiatric care24
at such hospital or facility fails to take physical custody of such child within 48 hours of25
a physician's discharge order from such hospital or facility:26
(1) A task force shall be assembled which shall consist of a care coordinator, the child's27
treating psychiatrist at the hospital or facility, or, if unavailable, the hospital or facility's28
medical director, and, if applicable, a representative of the Department of Human29
Services, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the health30
benefit policy of the child, and the Medicaid care management organization of such child;31
and32
(2) Such task force shall meet without delay to determine an appropriate medical or33
community placement of such child into an appropriate environment."34
SECTION 2.35
Each task force affected by this Act shall submit by the end of each month following the36
effective date of this Act such information as may be requested by the Multi-Agency37
Treatment for Children (MATCH) Committee within the Georgia Department of Behavioral38
Health and Developmental Disabilities. Such department shall submit a report to the39
chairpersons of the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Appropriations40
Committee by December 31 of the year following the year in which this Act becomes41
effective. Such report shall include the number of children and length of stay of such42
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children at a hospital or psychiatric residential treatment facility during the year that the43
report is submitted but for a period of time no later than December 1 of that year.44
SECTION 3.45
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.46
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