H-3527.1  _______________________________________________

                          HOUSE BILL 2663

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Representatives Alexander, Schual‑Berke, Parlette, Cody, Reardon, Ericksen, Morris, Tokuda, Benson, Doumit, Pflug, Kessler, Ruderman, Rockefeller, Edmonds, Santos, O'Brien, Hurst and Esser

Read first time 01/18/2000.  Referred to Committee on Health Care.

Providing for the distribution of atypical antipsychotic medications to underserved populations.

    AN ACT Relating to the distribution of atypical antipsychotic medications to underserved populations; adding a new section to chapter 71.24 RCW; and making an appropriation.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 71.24 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) The department shall establish a competitive process to contract directly with one or more community-based mental health services providers for the distribution of atypical antipsychotic medications to underserved populations as defined in this section.

    (2) The department shall establish provider selection criteria that gives great weight to a service plan that maximizes the number of clients to be served and minimizes administrative costs.  The service plan shall address the provider's drug purchasing strategy, client identification and outreach strategy, and strategy for securing medicaid coverage for persons who are eligible.

    (3) The department shall establish by contract the performance measures and outcomes expected from each provider.  A performance evaluation of each provider shall be conducted at the conclusion of the contract period.  The department shall compile the findings of each evaluation into one report, to be submitted to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2001. 

    (4)  The underserved populations targeted by this section are:  (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.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  The sum of one million dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to the department of social and health services for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2001, to carry out the purposes of this act.

                            --- END ---