2013 -- S 0834

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LC00805

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2013

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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL SENATE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE INTEGRATION OF

PRIMARY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     Introduced By: Senators Miller, Sosnowski, Cool Rumsey, Sheehan, and Goldin

     Date Introduced: April 04, 2013

     Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services

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     WHEREAS, It is the intention of the Rhode Island Senate to achieve the goals of

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integrating primary and behavioral health across the entire system to achieve high quality

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healthcare at an affordable cost; and

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     WHEREAS, With the advent of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), there are enormous

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opportunities to fully examine and evaluate our current healthcare delivery system; and

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     WHEREAS, According to the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare,

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individuals with serious mental illness are dying twenty-five years earlier than the rest of the

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population, largely due to unmanaged physical health conditions; and

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     WHEREAS, The Federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

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(SAMHSA) and the Health Research and Services Administration (HRSA) established the Center

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for Integrated Health Solutions (CIHS) to promote the development of integrated primary and

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behavioral health services to better address the needs of individuals with mental health and

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substance abuse conditions; and

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     WHEREAS, A fragmented system leads to gaps in healthcare delivery, inefficiencies in

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identifying and accessing support services, and decreased health outcomes for patients; and

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     WHEREAS, There is a need and an opportunity to incrementally adjust the Rhode Island

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healthcare system in the creation of linkages and alignment across many sectors toward

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population health improvement; and

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     WHEREAS, This Senate recognizes the need to convene and examine long-term

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strategies toward achieving a high quality, integrated primary and behavioral health system for all

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Rhode Islanders; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That a special Senate commission be and the same is hereby created

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consisting of fifteen (15) members: three (3) of whom shall be members of the Senate, not more

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than two (2) of whom shall be from the same political party, to be appointed by the Senate

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President; one of whom shall be the Director of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental

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Disabilities, and Hospitals, or his or her designee; one of whom shall be the Secretary of the

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Executive Office of Health and Human Services, or his or her designee; one of whom shall be the

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Director of the Department of Health, or his or her designee; one of whom shall be the Director of

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Medicaid, or his or her designee; one of whom shall be the Director of the Department of

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Children, Youth, and Families, or his or her designee; one of whom shall be the Commissioner of

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the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner, or his or her designee; one of whom shall be a

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licensed physician practicing primary care in Rhode Island, to be appointed by the Senate

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President; one of whom shall be a healthcare practitioner from a Rhode Island-based Patient

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Centered Medical Home (PCMH) primary care practice, to be appointed by the Senate President;

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one of whom shall be a representative of a Rhode Island behavioral healthcare provider and three

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(3) of whom shall be representatives of community-based providers, one of whom shall be a

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representative of the Council of Community Mental Health Organizations, to be appointed by the

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Senate President, one of whom shall be a representative of the Drug and Alcohol Treatment

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Association of Rhode Island, to be appointed by the Senate President, and one of whom shall be a

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representative of the Rhode Island Health Center Association to be appointed by the Senate

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President.

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     In lieu of any appointment of a member of the legislature to a permanent advisory

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commission, a legislative study commission, or any commission created by a General Assembly

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resolution, the appointing authority may appoint a member of the general public to serve in lieu

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of a legislator, provided that the Majority Leader or Minority Leader of the political party which

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is entitled to the appointment consents to the appointment of the member of the general public.

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     The purpose of said commission shall be to make a comprehensive study of all aspects of

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integrating behavioral health and primary health in Rhode Island. In studying this issue the

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commission is encouraged to:

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     (1) Examine trends, current policies, and data pertaining to the Rhode Island behavioral

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health utilization and primary care trend data;

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     (2) Identify policy restrictions which currently prevent Rhode Island from integrating

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primary and behavioral care;

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     (3) Provide a forum for state agencies, community-based organizations, faith-based

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organizations, volunteer organizations, advocacy groups, and businesses to discuss challenges

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and solutions pertaining to the integration of primary and behavioral care;

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     (4) Examine current models that are being used by other states to develop solutions;

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     (5) Identify and seek ways to remedy gaps in alternatives, specifically in the area of

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examining linkages and connections among agencies and providers;

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     (6) Examine the role of multi payers within the market and potential innovative payment

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reforms.

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     Forthwith upon passage of this resolution, the members of the commission shall meet at

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the call of the Senate President and organize and shall select from among the legislators a

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chairperson. Vacancies in said commission shall be filled in like manner as the original

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appointment.

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     The membership of said commission shall receive no compensation for their services.

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     All departments, boards, commissions, and agencies of the state shall furnish such advice

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and information, documentary and otherwise, to said commission and its agents as is deemed

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necessary or desirable by the commission to facilitate the purposes of this resolution.

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     The Joint Committee on Legislative Services is hereby authorized and directed to provide

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suitable quarters for said commission; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the

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Senate no later than January 30, 2014, and said commission shall expire on June 26, 2016.

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LC00805

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

CREATING A SPECIAL SENATE COMMISSION TO STUDY THE INTEGRATION OF

PRIMARY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

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     This resolution would create a fifteen (15) member special legislative commission whose

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purpose would be to make a comprehensive study of all aspects of integrating behavioral health

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and primary health in Rhode Island, and who would report back to the General Assembly no later

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than January 30, 2014, and whose life would expire June 26, 2016.

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LC00805

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