S.B. 300 - *SB300* SENATE BILL NO. 300–SENATORS DONDERO LOOP, FLORES, CRUZ-CRAWFORD; CANNIZZARO, DALY, OHRENSCHALL, PAZINA AND TAYLOR MARCH 10, 2025 ____________ Referred to Committee on Health and Human Services SUMMARY—Makes revisions relating to Medicaid. (BDR 38-110) FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No. Effect on the State: Yes. ~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. AN ACT relating to Medicaid; requiring Medicaid to cover certain mental health services provided at a federally-qualified health center; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: The policies of the Department of Health and Human Services provide that 1 Medicaid will provide coverage of services provided by a psychiatrist, 2 psychologist, advanced practice registered nurse, marriage and family therapist or 3 licensed clinical social worker at a federally-qualified health center. (Medicaid 4 Services Manual 2903(B)(1)) In 2023, federal law was amended to authorize 5 federal financial participation for Medicaid coverage of services provided by 6 mental health counselors, including alcohol and drug counselors and problem 7 gambling counselors who hold a master’s or doctoral degree and clinical 8 professional counselors, when such services are provided in a federally-qualified 9 health center. (42 U.S.C. § 1396a(10), 42 U.S.C. § 1396d(a)(2)(c), 42 U.S.C. § 10 1396d(1)(2); Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, Pub. L. No. 117-328, § 11 4121) This bill: (1) codifies into law existing requirements that Medicaid cover 12 services provided by a psychiatrist, psychologist, advanced practice registered 13 nurse, marriage and family therapist or licensed clinical social worker at a 14 federally-qualified health center; and (2) newly requires Medicaid to cover services 15 provided by a mental health counselor. 16 – 2 – - *SB300* THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. NRS 422.272366 is hereby amended to read as 1 follows: 2 422.272366 1. [The] To the extent that federal financial 3 participation is available, the Director shall include [in the State 4 Plan for] under Medicaid [a requirement that the State must pay the 5 nonfederal share of expenditures incurred] coverage for behavioral 6 health services, including, without limitation, mental health services 7 and services for the treatment of a substance use disorder, that are 8 delivered [through] : 9 (a) Through evidence-based, behavioral health integration 10 models, including, without limitation, collaborative care 11 management services [.] ; or 12 (b) In a federally-qualified health center by a psychiatrist, 13 psychologist, advanced practice registered nurse, licensed 14 marriage and family therapist, licensed clinical social worker or 15 mental health counselor. 16 2. The Department shall: 17 (a) Apply to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for 18 any waiver of federal law or apply for any amendment of the State 19 Plan for Medicaid that is necessary for the Department to receive 20 federal funding to provide the coverage described in subsection 1. 21 (b) Fully cooperate in good faith with the Federal Government 22 during the application process to satisfy the requirements of the 23 Federal Government for obtaining a waiver or amendment 24 pursuant to paragraph (a). 25 3. As used in this section: 26 (a) “Behavioral health integration model” means a model of 27 delivering behavioral health services that integrates such services 28 with primary care. The term includes, without limitation, the 29 delivery of behavioral health services using collaborative care 30 management services. 31 (b) “Collaborative care management services” means a 32 combination of services and structured care management with 33 regular assessments directed and provided by a team of providers of 34 primary care and providers of behavioral health care. 35 (c) “Federally-qualified health center” has the meaning 36 ascribed to it in 42 U.S.C. § 1396d(l)(2)(B). 37 (d) “Mental health counselor” has the meaning ascribed to it 38 in 42 U.S.C. § 1395x(lll)(4). 39 Sec. 2. 1. This section becomes effective upon passage and 40 approval. 41 2. Section 1 of this act becomes effective: 42 – 3 – - *SB300* (a) Upon passage and approval for the purpose of adopting any 1 regulations and performing any other preparatory administrative 2 tasks that are necessary to carry out the provisions of this act; and 3 (b) On October 1, 2025, for all other purposes. 4 H