GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1657

Short Title:  Medicaid Funds/Mental Health.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Representatives Cansler; Walend, Davis, Insko, Sherrill, Sexton, Esposito, Morris, and Preston.

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Referred to:  Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House.

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May 23, 2000

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO DIRECT THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO ALLOCATE MEDICAID FUNDS FOR THE 2000-2001 FISCAL YEAR FOR CERTAIN MENTAL HEALTH PURPOSES, AND TO CONDUCT OTHER ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  The Department of Health and Human Services shall allocate Medicaid funds for the 2000-2001 fiscal year to:
(1)	Increase CAP MR/DD slots and CAP DA slots to serve additional Medicaid recipients eligible for these services, and
(2)	Expand residential services to provide mental health services to more Medicaid-eligible children.
Section 2. Effective October 1, 2000, the Department of Health and Human Services shall ensure that local departments of social services and other local agencies conduct initial screenings and, if necessary, assessments of children in the custody and placement responsibility of local departments of social services to determine if the children are in need of mental health services.  The Department shall adopt rules, including temporary rules, to ensure that screenings and assessments are conducted.
Section 3. The Department of Health and Human Services shall review and evaluate factors involved in the closing down of hospital psychiatric beds across the State.  In conducting its review the Department shall ascertain the extent to which rates are a factor in the closing of beds and shall make a recommendation on the necessity for a rate increase.
Section 4. The Department of Health and Human Services shall develop a comprehensive plan to address issues raised in the United States Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C. & E.W.  The plan should provide for placing qualified persons with mental disabilities in less restrictive settings, as required under Olmstead, and other policies and practices that will ensure State compliance with federal law.
Section 5. Not later than April 1, 2001, the Department of Health and Human Services shall report the progress and results of the actions required of it under Sections 1 through 4 of this act to the members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services and the Senate Appropriations Committee on Human Resources.
Section 6. This act becomes effective July 1, 2000.