BILL REQ. #: H-2390.1
| State of Washington | 61st Legislature | 2009 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 03/02/09.
AN ACT Relating to equitable access to appropriate and effective children's mental health services; and amending RCW 74.09.521.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1 RCW 74.09.521 and 2007 c 359 s 11 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) To the extent that funds are specifically appropriated for this
purpose the department shall revise its medicaid healthy options
managed care and fee-for-service program standards under medicaid,
Title XIX of the federal social security act to improve access to
mental health services for children who do not meet the regional
support network access to care standards. Effective July 1, 2008, the
program standards shall be revised to allow outpatient therapy services
to be provided by ((licensed)) or under the direct supervision of
mental health professionals, as defined in RCW 71.34.020 and licensed
under Title 18 RCW, and up to twenty outpatient therapy hours per
calendar year, including family therapy visits integral to a child's
treatment. This section shall be administered in a manner consistent
with federal early periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment
requirements related to the receipt of medically necessary services
when a child's need for such services is identified through
developmental screening.
(2) ((This section expires July 1, 2010.)) The department and the
children's mental health evidence-based practice institute established
in RCW 71.24.061 shall collaborate to encourage and develop incentives
for the use of prescribing practices and evidence-based and research-based treatment practices developed under RCW 74.09.490 by mental
health professionals serving children under this section.