SLS 15RS-3343 ENGROSSED
2015 Regular Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 132
BY SENATOR CLAITOR AND REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON
HEALTH/HOSPITALS DEPT. Requests the Department of Health and Hospitals to conduct
a study on access to psychiatric medications and the costs for nonaccess to such medications.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To urge and request the Department of Health and Hospitals to conduct a study on access
3 to psychiatric medications and the costs for nonaccess to such medications.
4 WHEREAS, in 2012 an estimated 42.5 million adults eighteen years of age or older
5 in the United States had a mental illness in the past year; and
6 WHEREAS, this represents 18.2 percent of United States adults; and
7 WHEREAS, in 2012 approximately 19.28 percent of adults age eighteen years of age
8 or older in Louisiana had a mental illness in the past year which is above the national
9 average during that same time period; and
10 WHEREAS, it is suggested that more than forty percent of mental health patients are
11 not compliant with their medications; and
12 WHEREAS, noncompliance can be a result of not fully understanding side effects,
13 lack of education about the medication, irregular attendance to clinic, and access to
14 medication; and
15 WHEREAS, access to medication may become a particular issue in Louisiana since
16 the Medicaid managed care organizations will manage behavioral health, including
17 pharmacy and medical, for Louisiana Medicaid recipients effective December 2015; and
18 WHEREAS, there will be five different formulary committees and may have
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SLS 15RS-3343 ENGROSSED
1 different access criteria to psychiatric medications that Medicaid patients are currently
2 stabilized on or needed to be started on; and
3 WHEREAS, noncompliance with atypical antipsychotics leads to hospitalization,
4 incarceration, suicide, loss of productivity, and other issues and problems.
5 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
6 urge and request the Department of Health and Hospitals to conduct a study on access to
7 psychiatric medications and the costs for nonaccess to such medications.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the department report its findings to the Senate
9 and House committees on health and welfare on or before January 1, 2016.
10 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
11 secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Christopher D. Adams.
DIGEST
SCR 132 Engrossed 2015 Regular Session Claitor
Requests the Department of Health and Hospitals to conduct a study on access to psychiatric
medications and the costs for nonaccess to such medications. Requires report to the Senate
and House committees on health and welfare on or before January 1, 2016.
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