Menu
2010 Session

Budget Amendments - HB30 (Conference Report)

View Budget Item
View Budget Item amendments

Plan for Children's Mental Health Services (language only)

Item 304 #2c

Item 304 #2c

Health And Human Resources
Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, Department of

Language
Page 214, strike lines 34 through 48 and insert:
"Q. The Commissioner of the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) shall establish a planning process to identify concrete steps to provide children’s mental health services, both inpatient and community-based, as close to children’s homes as possible. The planning process will produce a comprehensive plan that ensures there are child-centered services, both inpatient and community-based, delivered at the community level in every Health Planning Region in the Commonwealth. The target populations to be addressed in this plan are children through age 17 who: (i) have a mental health problem, (ii) may have co-occurring mental health and substance abuse problems, (iii) may be in contact with the juvenile justice or courts systems, (iv) may require emergency services, or (v) may require long term community mental health and other supports. The planning process should identify the mental health and substance abuse services that are needed to help families keep their children at home and functioning in the community and should define the role that the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescent will play in this effort. The plan should establish and rank recommendations based on greatest priority and identify future funding associated with each recommendation. The planning process shall include input from community services boards, state and private inpatient facilities, the Department of Social Services, the Office of Comprehensive Services, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Department of Education, the Department of Medical Assistance Services, parents of children with mental health and co-occurring substance abuse problems, advocates for child mental health and co-occurring services, and any other persons or entities the DBHDS deems necessary for full consideration of the issues and needed solutions. The Commissioner shall report interim findings to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees by October 1, 2010 and a final report by November 1, 2011.


Explanation
(This amendment removes language that proposed the closure of the Commonwealth Center for Children and Adolescents in the introduced budget and replaces it with language directing the Commissioner of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) to establish a planning process to provide a comprehensive plan for providing children’s mental health services in the Commonwealth. Language directs the Commissioner to provide an interim and final report on the issues and funding related to children's mental health services to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees.)