73B33AD56F140452872587C10064CBDD Hearing Summary

Mr. Bornstein reviewed the community behavioral health care continuum gap grant framework, located on page 5 of the document linked above. Task Force members discussed parity and outreach to organizations who may be interested in the grants.  Task Force members asked questions about grant administration and the inclusion of tribes.  Further discussion ensued about expectations, levelling the playing field for organizations applying for grants, and a tiered level approach. 

The Task Force broke for lunch. 

The Task Force reconvened at 12:33 pm.  They returned to the discussion about grants and clarified that the new Behavioral Health Administration will administer the grants.  Mr. Bornstein noted that the following language will be added to the grant section of the final report, and include grant administration, high needs areas, tribes, demonstrated need for one-time funding, and reveiw of organizational financial statements. 

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Mr. Bornstein next walked the Task Force members through the policy recommendations, organized in in numerical order on pages 3-4 in the document linked above.  Members agreed on the package of policy recommendations and discussed the following:

• Policy #1 - Reciprocity: Discussion ensued about interstate compacts and licensure across state lines. 
• Policy  #2 - 1115 mental health waiver:  Task Force members discussed Medicaid and substance use disorders.
• Policy #3 - Audit/sunset review of behavioral health line items:  Discussion followed about audit criteria and reversion dollars. 

• Policy #4 - Decrease administrative burden: Members noted that there is work being done on a singular data system. state-wide and cautioned that many administrative requirements are at the federal level.  
• Policy #5 - Judicial diversion:  Task Force members had no objections to the diversion policies proposed. 
• Policy #6  - G88 behavioral health line:  Members discussed funding options for this behavioral health crisis line.
• Policy #7 - Certified addiction technicians and specialists: Members had no objections to this proposal.
• Policy #8 - Discharge strategy: Members engaged in a broad discussion about discharge planning. 

• Policy #9 - Buprenorphine:  Members discussed medication assisted treatment
• Policy #10 - Special competency population: Members discussed the overlap with #11, explained below.
• Policy #11 - Medicaid in the jails, community corrections, Department of Youth Services, and Department of Corrections.  Members discussed Medicaid in correctional settings and application. 
• Policy #12 - Transparency and accountability.  Members discussed this in relation to requirements set forth in Senate Bill 19-222, individuals at-risk of institutionalization. 

• Policy #13 -  Transform payer system and care coordination.  Discussion ensued about funding streams, uniform payer system, regional accountable entities, and consolidation. 

• Policy #14 - Community competency restoration.  Members asked questions about backlogs and tiers of competency restoration.
• Policy #15 - Medication assisted treatment.  Discussion followed about medication assisted treatment in jails and funding. 
• Policy #16  - Insurer therapy coverage.  Questions were raised about the intent of related laws. 
• Policy #17 - Social emotional learning.  Members discussed use in of social emotional learning in schools.
• Policy #18 - Behavioral Health Administration.  Members discussed duplicative committees throughout state departments and questioned the necessity of this recommendation. 

The Chair thanked all involved for their hard work.