Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0429 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2025 -- S 0429
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7	7	LC001507
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
12	12	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABI LITIES AND
16	16	HOSPITALS -- CHILDREN'S MOBILE RESPONSE AND STABILIZATION SERVICES ACT
17	17	Introduced By: Senators Bissaillon, Murray, DiMario, DiPalma, McKenney, Lawson,
18	18	and Burke
19	19	Date Introduced: February 26, 2025
20	20	Referred To: Senate Finance
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23	23	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
24	24	SECTION 1. The purpose of this act is to establish a statewide standalone Mobile Response 1
25	25	and Stabilization Services (MRSS) program to address the behavioral health needs of children and 2
26	26	youth ages two (2) to twenty-one (21) by: 3
27	27	(1) Ensuring timely crisis response and behavioral health intervention services tailored to 4
28	28	the developmental needs of children. 5
29	29	(2) Providing stabilization services to prevent unnecessary hospitalizations, emergency 6
30	30	room visits, or out-of-home placements. 7
31	31	(3) Meeting Medicaid’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) 8
32	32	obligations for medically necessary behavioral health services. 9
33	33	(4) Ensuring that MRSS services are available in children’s natural environments, such as 10
34	34	homes, schools, and community settings, while prioritizing family-centered, trauma-informed, and 11
35	35	developmentally appropriate care. 12
36	36	SECTION 2. Title 40.1 of the General Laws entitled "BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, 13
37	37	DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND HOSPITALS" is her eby amended by adding thereto 14
38	38	the following chapter: 15
39	39	CHAPTER 30 16
40	40	CHILDREN'S MOBILE RESPONSE AND STABILIZATION SERVICES ACT 17
41	41	40.1-30-1. Short title. 18
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44	44	LC001507 - Page 2 of 5
45	45	This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the ”Children’s Mobile Response and 1
46	46	Stabilization Services Act”. 2
47	47	40.1-30-2. Definitions. 3
48	48	For purposes of this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: 4
49	49	(1) "Certified providers" means organizations licensed in accordance with the provisions 5
50	50	of § 40.1-5-6(a)(2) and 214-RICR-40-00-6 that have demonstrated expertise in delivering child-6
51	51	specific MRSS. 7
52	52	(2) "EPSDT" means the Medicaid Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment 8
53	53	benefit, which guarantees medically necessary services for beneficiaries under the age of twenty-9
54	54	one (21), including MRSS. 10
55	55	(3) "Mobile response and stabilization services" or "(MRSS)" means a behavioral health 11
56	56	crisis intervention system providing immediate de-escalation, stabilization services, and follow-up 12
57	57	care designed specifically for children and families. 13
58	58	(4) "Natural environment" means settings where children typically live, learn, and play, 14
59	59	including homes, schools, child care centers, and community facilities. 15
60	60	40.1-30-3. Program structure and services delivery. 16
61	61	(a) MRSS shall operate twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week, with a 17
62	62	response time of no more than one hour from the initial request for assistance. 18
63	63	(b) Services shall be accessible to all children in crisis, as determined by the child, family, 19
64	64	or caregiver, without requiring formal referrals or prior authorization. 20
65	65	40.1-30-4. Service components. 21
66	66	(a) Services shall be culturally, linguistically, and developmentally appropriate to ensure 22
67	67	equitable access for diverse populations. 23
68	68	(b) Crisis response teams shall be composed of trained professionals and paraprofessionals, 24
69	69	including licensed clinicians, peer support specialists, and family navigators with expertise in child 25
70	70	and adolescent behavioral health. 26
71	71	(c) Crisis stabilization services are short-term, child-focused interventions and shall be 27
72	72	provided to stabilize the child’s condition and develop a transition plan to prevent re-escalation. 28
73	73	(d) Family-centered coordination shall ensure linkage to ongoing behavioral healthcare, 29
74	74	educational supports, and community resources, while promoting caregiver involvement and 30
75	75	empowerment. 31
76	76	(e) Services shall align with evidence-based practices specific to children and adolescents 32
77	77	and interventions shall address triggers unique to children, including academic stress, peer 33
78	78	conflicts, and family dynamics, while promoting resilience and emotional regulation. 34
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82	82	40.1-30-5. Funding and compliance with EPSDT. 1
83	83	(a) Medicaid funding. The general assembly authorizes the state Medicaid agency to submit 2
84	84	a state plan amendment (SPA) to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This state 3
85	85	plan amendment shall establish MRSS as a Medicaid-reimbursable service under the EPSDT 4
86	86	benefit. Said state plan amendment shall be submitted to CMS within ninety (90) days of enactment 5
87	87	of this chapter. The SPA shall ensure that MRSS is a statewide service, available to all eligible 6
88	88	Medicaid recipients in Rhode Island, without geographic or financial barriers. 7
89	89	(b) The state shall allocate general revenue funds to provide this service which is not funded 8
90	90	by Medicaid, and address funding gaps for family education, peer support services, and workforce 9
91	91	development. 10
92	92	(c) All services shall meet the criteria under 42 U.S.C. § 1396d(a), ensuring coverage for 11
93	93	rehabilitative services, physician services, and case management. 12
94	94	(d) Providers shall comply with federal Medicaid EPSDT standards to ensure timely access 13
95	95	to services. 14
96	96	40.1-30-6. Provider requirements. 15
97	97	(a) Providers shall demonstrate expertise in child crisis response, stabilization, and follow-16
98	98	up care. 17
99	99	(b) Providers shall collaborate with child-serving systems, including schools, child welfare 18
100	100	agencies, juvenile justice systems, and pediatric health providers. 19
101	101	(c) Providers shall establish agreements with local school districts, special education 20
102	102	programs, pediatric and adolescent primary care providers and certified community behavioral 21
103	103	health clinics (CCBHCs). 22
104	104	40.1-30-7. Monitoring and accountability. 23
105	105	(a) The department of children, youth and families (DCYF) shall oversee implementation, 24
106	106	including: 25
107	107	(1) Data collection on service utilization, patient outcomes, and demographic trends. 26
108	108	(2) Annual reporting to the general assembly on reduction in psychiatric hospitalizations, 27
109	109	increased family and patient satisfaction, and identification of service gaps and recommendations 28
110	110	for system improvement. 29
111	111	(b) The DCYF shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this 30
112	112	chapter. 31
113	113	40.1-30-8. Appropriation. 32
114	114	The sum of six million dollars ($6,000,000) shall be appropriated from the state general 33
115	115	fund to support the implementation of MRSS, including provider certification and workforce 34
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119	119	development, expansion of crisis response teams to underserved regions and public awareness 1
120	120	campaigns to inform families of MRSS availability. 2
121	121	SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. 3
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128	128	EXPLANATION
129	129	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
130	130	OF
131	131	A N A C T
132	132	RELATING TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, DEVEL OPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND
133	133	HOSPITALS -- CHILDREN'S MOBILE RESPONSE AND STABILIZATION SERVICES ACT
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135	135	This act would appropriate six million dollars ($6,000,000) to establish a statewide 1
136	136	standalone children's mobile response and stabilization services to address the behavioral health 2
137	137	needs of children and youth ages two (2) to twenty-one (21). This act would also provide that the 3
138	138	state allocate general revenue funds to provide services not funded by Medicaid. The department 4
139	139	of children, youth and families would oversee implementation of the program and promulgate rules 5
140	140	and regulations to implement the provisions of this chapter. 6
141	141	This act would take effect upon passage. 7
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