[atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to administering atypical antipsychotic medications; amending RCW 71.24.310; adding new sections to chapter 71.24 RCW; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1. RCW 71.24.310 and 1989 c 205 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

The legislature finds that administration of chapter 71.05 RCW and this chapter can be most efficiently and effectively implemented as part of the regional support network defined in RCW 71.24.025. For this reason, the legislature intends that any enhanced program funding for implementation of chapter 71.05 RCW or this chapter, except for funds allocated for implementation of mandatory state-wide programs as required by federal statute, and except for funds appropriated for the purposes under section 2 of this act, be made available primarily to those counties participating in regional support networks.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 71.24 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The legislature finds that specific appropriations for atypical antipsychotic medications used in community settings are more effectively administered centrally by the mental health division of the department of social and health services. It is the intent of the legislature that the mental health division shall establish a mechanism separate from the regional support network funding formula for distributing specific appropriations for atypical antipsychotic medications to the regional support networks. It is the further intent of the legislature that this mechanism will maximize federal funding opportunities, and that specific appropriations for these medications shall be targeted toward underserved groups.

(2) The department in consultation with the regional support networks shall establish a methodology to assure that specific appropriations for atypical antipsychotic medications used in community settings are directed toward each of the following groups: (a) Persons in crisis who are not medicaid qualified; (b) working poor who are not medicaid eligible; (c) persons transitioning from jail and from department of corrections facilities to medicaid eligibility; and (d) persons in jail. The department shall establish data mechanisms to track the efforts to assist all persons who are medicaid qualified achieve medicaid eligibility. Lack of medicaid eligibility shall not be a criteria for exclusion from benefiting from specific appropriations for atypical antipsychotic medications.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 71.24 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department shall establish a program to evaluate the treatment outcomes and costs benefits of providing funding for atypical antipsychotic medications used in community settings for persons who are not currently eligible for cost benefits under the medicaid program, Title XIX of the federal social security act.

(2) Atypical antipsychotic medications made available through this program shall be targeted to the following groups of persons: (a) Persons in crisis who are not medicaid eligible; (b) working poor who are not medicaid eligible and who need continued access to antipsychotic medications in order to retain their employment; (c) persons transitioning from jail and from department of corrections facilities to medicaid eligibility; and (d) persons in jail.

(3) Atypical antipsychotic medications provided through the program shall be purchased by the department through competitive procurement. The procurement shall include at a minimum: (a) A requirement that rates paid for the medications not exceed rates paid by the department under its medicaid program; (b) a requirement that there be an adequate distribution mechanism to make the medications available in communities served by the program; and (c) other performance standards deemed appropriate by the department.

(4) The program shall include an evaluation component. The evaluation shall assess whether the availability of atypical antipsychotic medications through the program results in cost savings to the state and positive treatment outcomes for persons served through the program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. If specific funding for the purposes of this act is not provided by June 30, 1999, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and void.