S-1003.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5559
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State of Washington 56th Legislature 1999 Regular Session
By Senators Hargrove and Long
Read first time 01/27/1999. Referred to Committee on Human Services & Corrections.
AN ACT Relating to administering atypical antipsychotic medications; amending RCW 71.24.310; and adding a new section to chapter 71.24 RCW.
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 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 to medicaid eligibility; and (d) persons in jail. The department shall establish data mechanisms to assure that 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.
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