Menu
2019 Session

Budget Amendments - SB1100 (Member Request)

View Budget Item
View Budget Item amendments

Chief Patron: Hanger
Behavioral Health Services Realignment (language only)

Item 310 #1s

Item 310 #1s

Health and Human Resources
Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services

Language

Page 356, after line 19, insert:

"Z. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall have the authority to promulgate emergency regulations to:  (i) ensure that licensing regulations support high quality community-based mental health services and align with changes being made to the Medicaid behavioral health regulations that support evidence-based, trauma-informed, prevention-focused and cost-effective services for individuals served across the lifespan; and (ii) incorporate the American Society of Addiction Medicine Levels of Care Criteria or an equivalent set of criteria into substance use licensing regulations to ensure the provision of outcome-oriented and strengths-based care in the treatment of addiction.  The department shall have authority to promulgate any emergency regulations required to implement these changes within 280 days or less from the enactment date of this Act."



Explanation

(This amendment adds language authorizing the realignment of behavioral health services to ensure the system supports evidence-based, trauma-information, prevention-focused and cost-effective services for individuals served across the lifespan. This realignment will mirror those realignment actions being undertaken for behavioral health services funded through the Virginia Medicaid program. This is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee Studying Mental Health Services in the Commonwealth in the 21st Century.)