HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 ESHB 1609

                       As Passed House

                       March 14, 1991

Title:  An act relating to mental health services for children.

Brief Description:  Developing additional mental health services for children.

Sponsor(s):  By House Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Leonard, Winsley, Riley, Brekke, R. King, Anderson, Phillips, Dellwo, Spanel, Haugen, Hine, Jones, Pruitt, Basich, R. Johnson, Van Luven, Wang, Valle, Inslee, Belcher, Sheldon and O'Brien).

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Human Services, February 14, 1991, DPS;

Appropriations, March 10, 1991, DPS(HS)-A;

Passed House, March 14, 1991, 95-2.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

HUMAN SERVICES

Majority Report: That Substitute House Bill No. 1609 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 11 members:  Representatives Leonard, Chair; Riley, Vice Chair; Winsley, Ranking Minority Member; Tate, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Anderson; Beck; Brekke; Hargrove; Hochstatter; R. King; and H. Myers.

Staff:  David Knutson (786-7146).

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

APPROPRIATIONS

Majority Report: That substitute bill by Committee on Human Services be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill as amended by Committee on Appropriations do pass.  Signed by 26 members:  Representatives Locke, Chair; Inslee, Vice Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Silver, Ranking Minority Member; Morton, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Belcher; Bowman; Braddock; Brekke; Dorn; Ferguson; Fuhrman; Hine; Lisk; May; McLean; Mielke; Nealey; Peery; Pruitt; Rust; Sprenkle; Valle; Vance; Wang; and Wineberry.

Staff:  John Woolley (786-7154).

Background:  Children with emotional and mental disorders may come in contact with several child-serving systems such as schools, child welfare programs, mental health programs and juvenile justice programs.  The current system of mental health care tends to look at the problem experienced by the child in isolation from other aspects of the child's life. This categorical approach to mental health results in a fragmented, uncoordinated array of services provided to children, by whichever service system they come in contact with.  The Federal Early, Periodic, Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) Program can be used to provide mental health services to eligible children through the medicaid program.

Summary of Bill:  The Office of Financial Management will perform an inventory of publicly funded programs providing mental health services in the state and report to appropriate legislative committees by December 1, 1991.  The inventory will also include a plan and criteria to use early, periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment services for children with mental health needs.  Each mental health regional support network will begin a local planning process for the delivery of children's mental health services which includes all appropriate agencies and organizations at the local level.  The Office of Financial Management will propose legislation requiring 5 percent of constitutionally available state funds be placed in a locally administered pooled account to serve children who are not served through categorical programs.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.

Testimony For:  (Human Services) Children with mental and emotional problems are served through several different social, health and educational systems.  A comprehensive, coordinated planning and service delivery process for children's mental health services is needed.  This will maximize existing resources and provide better service to children needing assistance.

Testimony For:  (Appropriations) The state needs a coordinated service delivery system for Children's Mental Health Services.  Currently, it is overly fragmented.  Since the federal government has made the Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) Program available to Medicaid eligible clients, the State should take advantage.  The Department of Social and Health Services has worked to develop the bill with general agreement among parties as to its intent.

Testimony Against:  (Human Services) The Department of Social and Health Services supports the concept of HB 1609, but has reservations because it is not funded in the governor's budget.

Testimony Against:  (Appropriations) The bill is not contained in the governor's budget and cannot be supported.  There are concerns with the pooling of funds contained in the bill.

Witnesses:  (Human Services) Beverly Kincaid, UFCW Local 381; Peter Berliner, Children's Alliance; Steve Norsen Washington Community Mental Health Council; Don Leebrick, Peaks, Valleys and Choices Foundation; Doug Stevenson, King County Council; and Dick Thompson, Department of Social and Health Services.

Witnesses:  (Appropriations) Sharon Steward Johnson, Department of Social and Health Services; Laurie Lippold, Children's Home Society; David Briggs, Mental Health Coalition; and Doug Stevenson, Mental Health Coalition.