1 SR89 2 169866-1 3 By Senator Reed 4 RFD: 5 First Read: 21-MAY-15 Page 0
1 169866-1:n:05/21/2015:JGW/JGW 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 CREATION OF A TASK FORCE TO STUDY THE PSYCHIATRIC 9 RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FACILITIES (PRTF'S) FOR INDIVIDUALS 10 UNDER THE AGE OF 21 11 12 WHEREAS, the Alabama Department of Human Resources 13 licenses and contracts with Psychiatric Residential Treatment 14 Facilities (PRTF's) for Individuals under 21 to provide care 15 to the clients served by the Department of Human Resources; 16 and 17 WHEREAS, the Alabama Department of Mental Health 18 certifies certain facilities that provide Psychiatric 19 Residential Treatment to clients served by the Department of 20 Human Resources; and, 21 WHEREAS, the Alabama Department of Youth Services is 22 authorized to certify or approve certain facilities to provide 23 Psychiatric Residential Treatment to Individuals under 21; 24 WHEREAS, the Alabama Department of Children's 25 Affairs is authorized to certify or approve certain facilities Page 1
1 to provide Psychiatric Residential Treatment to Individuals 2 under 21; 3 WHEREAS, the Alabama Medicaid Agency pays for care 4 for Individuals under 21 who are in a Psychiatric Residential 5 Treatment Facility that is under contract with the Department 6 of Human Resources; and, 7 WHEREAS, those Psychiatric Residential Treatment 8 Facilities (PRTF's) which are licensed, certified or approved 9 to provide Psychiatric Treatment by the Alabama Department of 10 Human Resources, Department of Mental Health, Department of 11 Youth Services or the Department of Children's Affairs, are 12 not required to obtain a Certificate of Need from the State 13 Health Planning and Development Agency, nor required to obtain 14 a license from the Alabama Department of Public Health, 15 WHEREAS, it is confusing for potential health care 16 providers wishing to provide Psychiatric Residential Treatment 17 to adolescents, for health insurance companies, and for 18 parents seeking care for their adolescents to determine which 19 agency has the authority to approve and provide ongoing 20 oversight for a provider to operate Psychiatric Residential 21 Treatment Facilities for Individuals under 21; and, 22 WHEREAS, clarification for health care providers and 23 users of Psychiatric Residential Treatment for adolescents and 24 for the legislature on jurisdiction and authority for 25 providers and agencies which provide certification and may 26 contract to provide Psychiatric Residential Treatment for Page 2
1 adolescents, would be helpful to all concerned, NOW, 2 THEREFORE, 3 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE LEGISLATURE OF 4 ALABAMA, That there is hereby created a Task Force on 5 Psychiatric Residential Treatment for Individuals under 21 in 6 Alabama. This Task Force shall study the current statutory and 7 regulatory requirements for operation of these facilities in 8 Alabama and shall make recommendations to the Senate of the 9 State of Alabama on any changes in statutory law that need to 10 be made in order to improve the operation of these facilities. 11 The Task Force shall report to the Alabama Senate on the first 12 day of the regular session, occurring in 2016. The report 13 shall be in writing. 14 The Task Force shall consist of the following: 15 (1) One member appointed by the Alabama Department 16 of Human Resources. 17 (2) One member appointed by the Alabama Department 18 of Mental Health. 19 (3) One member appointed by the Alabama Department 20 of Youth Services. 21 (4) One member appointed by the Alabama Department 22 of Children's Affairs. 23 (5) One member appointed by the Alabama Department 24 of Public Health. 25 (6) One member appointed by the Alabama Department 26 of Education. Page 3
1 (7) One member appointed by the Alabama Multiple 2 Needs Office. 3 (8) One member appointed by Alabama Medicaid. 4 (9) One member appointed by the Senate Majority 5 Leader. 6 (10) One member who is appointed by the Lt. 7 Governor. 8 (11) One member who is appointed by the Senate 9 President Pro Tem. 10 (12) One member appointed by the Senate Minority 11 Leader. 12 (13) One member appointed by the Alabama Hospital 13 Association that represents a facility which provides 14 Psychiatric Residential Treatment to adolescents. 15 (14) One member appointed by the Alabama 16 Psychological Association. 17 (15) One member appointed by the Alabama Counseling 18 Association. 19 (16) One member appointed by the Alabama State Board 20 of Social Work Examiners. 21 (17) One member appointed by Administrative Office 22 of Courts representing Family and Juvenile Courts. 23 (18) One member appointed by the Alabama Psychiatric 24 Physicians Association that has experience in providing 25 psychiatric treatment to adolescents. Page 4
1 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Senate Majority 2 Leader shall appoint the chair of the Task Force. The Task 3 Force shall adopt rules governing the times and locations of 4 meetings and the manner of conducting its business. The Task 5 Force, and any committee of the Task Force, may meet via 6 teleconference. All Task Force members shall serve without 7 compensation or reimbursement of expenses associated with 8 serving. 9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That access to stable, 10 quality and appropriate Psychiatric Residential Treatment for 11 adolescents is paramount; the task force shall study the 12 current process and evaluate recommendations for revisions to 13 the current process and jurisdictions affecting the opening 14 and operation of Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities 15 for adolescents in Alabama. 16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Task Force be 17 organized immediately upon passage of this resolution, shall 18 meet within one month following its organization, and shall 19 expire upon delivering its report and recommendations to the 20 Alabama Senate on the first day of the 2016 Regular Session of 21 the Alabama Senate. Page 5