2024 -- H 7900

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LC005318

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO INSURANCE -- INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS AND

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

     Introduced By: Representatives Fogarty, Cortvriend, McEntee, Kazarian, Cotter,
Donovan, Speakman, Henries, Hull, and Handy

     Date Introduced: March 04, 2024

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Chapter 27-38.2 of the General Laws entitled "Insurance Coverage for Mental

Illness and Substance Use Disorders" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     27-38.2-7. Early childhood mental health hub.

     (a) The executive office of health and human services (EOHHS) shall establish an early

childhood mental health hub program ("hub") focused on improving access to infant and early

childhood mental health services for children under the age of six (6) years and their families. The

hub shall be funded as a pilot program funded for a minimum of five (5) years to:

     (1) Train and support infant and early childhood mental health professionals in Rhode

Island;

     (2) Maintain a registry of infant and early childhood mental health professionals and their

qualifications;

     (3) Monitor the availability of services, new national recommendations, and advancements

in interventions and therapies; and

     (4) Make recommendations to Medicaid and behavioral health systems to address gaps.

     (b) The hub shall be designed to integrate and align with the Rhode Island children’s

behavioral health system of care managed by the EOHHS.

     (c) Needs that are outlined in the Rhode Island infant early childhood mental health plan

shall be early priorities for the hub including:

     (1) Offering state-supported training and ongoing implementation support for clinicians to

become certified and to use evidence-based, family-based dyadic therapy models for children under

the age of six (6) years, such as child-parent psychotherapy (CPP), parent-child interaction therapy

(PCIT), and attachment and biobehavioral catch-up (ABC). Building the training capacity in the

state by holding train-the-trainers programs should be considered;

     (2) Offering state-supported training and ongoing implementation support on

developmentally-appropriate screenings to identify mental health challenges in young children

from infancy to under the age of six (6) years;

     (3) Offering state-supported training and ongoing implementation support for clinicians to

conduct developmentally-appropriate evaluations of mental health in young children under the age

of six (6) years;

     (4) Advancing equitable access to services and reduce racial and ethnic disparities,

increasing the number of infant and early childhood qualified mental health clinicians who are

bilingual or represent the diverse races, ethnicities, and cultures of young children and families in

Rhode Island; and

     (5) Serving as a community resource for families and health professionals to find and

connect with effective therapeutic services for young children suffering with mental health

challenges.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO INSURANCE -- INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS AND

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

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     This act would require the EOHHS to establish an early childhood mental health hub

program focused on improving access to infant and early childhood mental health services for

children under the age of six (6) years and their families. The hub would be funded as a pilot

program for a minimum of five (5) years.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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