§ 42-72-5.2 - Development of a continuum of children's behavioral health programs.
SECTION 42-72-5.2
§ 42-72-5.2 Development of a continuum ofchildren's behavioral health programs. – The departments of children, youth, and families (DCYF) and human services(DHS) shall cooperate to develop a design of a continuum of care for children'sbehavioral health services that encourages the use of alternative psychiatricand other services to hospitalization and reviews the utilization of eachservice in order to better match services and programs to the needs of thechildren and families as well as continuously improve the quality of and accessto services. The departments of children, youth, and families and humanservices shall present a report to the governor and the general assembly nolater than February 1, 2006 that fully describes this continuum of services andoutlines a detailed plan for its implementation, including resourcerequirements, responsibilities, milestones, and time frames, as well as a setof indicators and program metrics that will be employed to evaluate itsclinical and fiscal effectiveness over time. The report shall also describe anyand all changes proposed in program oversight or budgetary responsibility forspecific services. An important step towards the development of such continuumof care is to assure the appropriate management of psychiatrichospitalizations. To that end the state shall:
(1) Amend contractual agreements with RIte Care health plansto reflect complete responsibility for the management of psychiatrichospitalizations, specifically the development of hospital diversion and postdischarge services; and the utilization of crisis intervention services as arequirement for authorization of a psychiatric admission for all childrenenrolled in RIte Care; and
(2) Issue a request for proposals to identify a contractedentity to reflect complete responsibility for the management of psychiatrichospitalizations, specifically the development of hospital diversion and postdischarge services for crisis intervention services as a requirement forauthorization of a psychiatric admission for all Medicaid-eligible children notenrolled in RIte Care. The request for proposals shall include a disputeresolution process.