ARTICLE 10

RELATING TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

     SECTION 1. Section 40.1-1-13 of the General Laws in Chapter 40.1-1 entitled

“Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals” is hereby

amended to read as follows:

     40.1-1-13. Powers and duties of the office.

     Notwithstanding any provision of the Rhode Island general laws to the contrary, the

department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals shall have the

following powers and duties:

     (1) To establish and promulgate the overall plans, policies, objectives, and priorities for

state substance abuse education, prevention, and treatment; provided, however, that the director

shall obtain and consider input from all interested state departments and agencies prior to the

promulgation of any such plans or policies;

     (2) Evaluate and monitor all state grants and contracts to local substance abuse service

providers;

     (3) Develop, provide for, and coordinate the implementation of a comprehensive state plan

for substance abuse education, prevention, and treatment;

     (4) Ensure the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information for planning and

evaluation of substance abuse services;

      (5) Provide support, guidance, and technical assistance to individuals, local governments,

community service providers, public and private organizations in their substance abuse education,

prevention, and treatment activities;

     (6) Confer with all interested department directors to coordinate the administration of state

programs and policies that directly affect substance abuse treatment and prevention;

     (7) Seek and receive funds from the federal government and private sources in order to

further the purposes of this chapter;

     (8) To act in conjunction with the executive office of health and human services as the

state’s co-designated agency (42 U.S.C. § 300x-30(a)) for administering federal aid and for the

purposes of the calculation of the expenditures relative to the substance abuse block grant and

federal funding maintenance of effort. The department of behavioral healthcare, developmental

disabilities and hospitals, as the state’s substance abuse and mental health authority, will have the

sole responsibility for the planning, policy and implementation efforts as it relates to the

requirements set forth in pertinent substance abuse laws and regulations including 42 U.S.C. §

300x-21 et seq.;

     (9) Propose, review, and/or approve, as appropriate, proposals, policies, or plans involving

insurance and managed care systems for substance abuse services in Rhode Island;

     (10) To enter into, in compliance with the provisions of chapter 2 of title 37, contractual

relationships and memoranda of agreement as necessary for the purposes of this chapter;

     (11) To license facilities and programs for the care and treatment of substance abusers and

for the prevention of substance abuse, and provide the list of licensed chemical dependency

professionals (LCDP) and licensed chemical dependency clinical supervisors (LCDCS) (licensed

by the department of health pursuant to chapter 69 of title 5) for use by state agencies including,

but not limited to, the adjudication office of the department of transportation, the district court and

superior court and the division of probation and parole for referral of individuals requiring

substance use disorder treatment;

     (12) To promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the requirements of this

chapter;

     (13) Perform other acts and exercise any other powers necessary or convenient to carry out

the intent and purposes of this chapter;

      (14) To exercise the authority and responsibilities relating to education, prevention, and

treatment of substance abuse, as contained in, but not limited to, the following chapters: chapters

1.10, 10.1, and 28.2 of title 23; chapters 21.2 and 21.3 of title 16; chapter 50.1 of title 42 [repealed];

chapter 109 of title 42; chapter 69 of title 5; and § 35-4-18;

     (15) To establish a Medicare Part D restricted-receipt account in the hospitals and

community rehabilitation services program and the Rhode Island state psychiatric hospital program

to receive and expend Medicare Part D reimbursements from pharmacy benefit providers consistent

with the purposes of this chapter;

     (16) To establish a RICLAS group home operations restricted-receipt account in the

services for the developmentally disabled program to receive and expend rental income from

RICLAS group clients for group home-related expenditures, including food, utilities, community

activities, and the maintenance of group homes;

     (17) To establish a non-Medicaid, third-party payor restricted-receipt account in the

hospitals and community rehabilitation services program to receive and expend reimbursement

from non-Medicaid, third-party payors to fund hospital patient services that are not Medicaid

eligible; and

     (18) To certify any and all recovery housing facilities directly, or through a contracted

entity, as defined by department guidelines, which includes adherence to using National Alliance

for Recovery Residences (NARR) standards. In accordance with a schedule to be determined by

the department, all referrals from state agencies or state-funded facilities shall be to certified

houses, and only certified recovery housing facilities shall be eligible to receive state funding to

deliver recovery housing services. As of January 1, 2027, all recovery housing facilities shall be

registered with the department and shall adhere to the NARR certification process.

     (19) To establish, operate, and/or designate a RI 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline center or

centers to provide telephone, text and chat crisis intervention services and crisis care coordination

to individuals accessing the RI 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

     SECTION 2. Title 40.1 of the General Laws entitled “Behavioral Healthcare,

Development Disabilities and Hospitals” is hereby amended by adding thereto the following

chapter:

CHAPTER 8.6

RHODE ISLAND 9-8-8 SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE

     40.1-8.6-1. Definitions.

     As used in this chapter:

     (1) “9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline” or “lifeline" means the national network system

operated by the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline ("NSPL") or its successor entity, within

which the department-approved or department-operated RI 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Center

participates.

     (2) “Department” means the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental

disabilities and hospitals.

     (3) “Director” means the director of the department of behavioral healthcare,

developmental disabilities and hospitals.

     (4) "National Suicide Prevention Lifeline" ("NSPL") means the national network of local

crisis centers providing free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or

emotional distress twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a week. Membership as an NSPL

center requires nationally recognized certification which includes evidence-based training for all

staff and volunteers in the management of NSPL calls.

     (5) "Rhode Island (RI) 9-8-8 state administrator” means the administrator designated by

the director of the department to manage the locally operated and funded center within the national

network of the 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline within Rhode Island.

     (6) “Rhode Island (RI) 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Center” or "lifeline center" means

a department-approved or department-operated center that participates in the National Suicide

Prevention Lifeline Network and responds to statewide or regional 9-8-8 contacts that is operated

by or under contract with the department.

     40.1-8.6-2. Behavioral health crisis services system established.

     (a) The director is hereby authorized to establish, operate, promulgate regulations with

regard to, and/or designate a RI 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline center or centers to provide

telephone, text and chat crisis intervention services and crisis care coordination to individuals

accessing the RI 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven (7) days a

week.

     (b) The director shall have the authority to provide general oversight of the RI 9-8-8

Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Center(s) established by this chapter.

     (c) The RI 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline center(s) shall have an active agreement with

the administrator of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline ("NSPL") maintained by SAMHSA,

or any successor entity, for participation within the network.

     (d) The designated RI 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline center(s) shall meet SAMHSA and

NSPL or any successor entity’s requirements and best practices guidelines for operational and

clinical standards.

     (e) The designated RI 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline center(s) shall provide and report

data and participate in evaluations and related quality improvement activities as required by the 9-

8-8 state administrator. The department shall provide the department of children, youth, and

families with data regarding utilization of RI 9-8-8 services by children, youth, and their families,

consistent with NSPL requirements and state and federal confidentiality and privacy laws and

regulations.

     (f) The designated RI 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline center(s) shall make referrals,

consistent with guidance and policies established by the NSPL or any successor entity, to follow-

up services for individuals who access the RI 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

     (g) The director shall consult with the director of the department of children, youth, and

families prior to promulgating rules and regulations specific to RI 9-8-8 services for children,

youth, and their families.

     (h) Nothing in § 40.1-8.6-2, § 40.1-8.6-3, or § 40.1-8.6-4 shall be construed to restrict the

authority of the department of children, youth and family (DCYF) pursuant to chapters 72 and

72.1 of title 42.

     40.1-8.6-3. Funding of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

     (a) The director shall have the authority to expend any and all funds allocated to support

the operations of the RI 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

     40.1-8.6-4. Implementation.

     (a) The director shall designate the RI 9-8-8 state administrator. The RI 9-8-8 state

administrator shall be an employee of the department and shall serve at the pleasure of the director,

or shall be a contractor who has a contract with the department and shall serve for the period

designated in the contract and in accordance with the terms of such contract.

     (b) All state agencies and/or departments shall provide to the department any and all data

and other information necessary for the department to comply with federal and/or state reporting

requirements with respect to the establishment and/or operation of the RI 9-8-8 Suicide & Crisis

Lifeline.

     SECTION 3. Sections 42-160-3 and 42-160-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-160

entitled "Rhode Island Pay for Success Act" are hereby amended to read as follows:

     42-160-3. Annual reporting.

     The executive office, in collaboration with the Rhode Island Coalition to End

Homelessness or other qualified organization as determined by the executive office, shall provide

yearly progress reports to the general assembly beginning no later than January 30, 2022, and

annually thereafter until January 30, 2027 2028. These reports will include recommendations on a

proposed structure for entering into pay for success contracts, for administering the program, and

for any and all matters related thereto that the executive office deems necessary to administer future

pay for success projects at the conclusion of the pilot program in 2026 2027. As a condition of this

project, HUD requires that a third party conduct a transparent and rigorous evaluation of the

intervention to determine whether the outcomes have indeed achieved success. The evaluation

results will be reported yearly to the governor and general assembly.

     42-160-5. Pilot program established.

     There is established a five six (6)-year (5) pay-for-success pilot program to be administered

by the Rhode Island executive office of health and human services. The pilot will follow the

proposal outlined in the 2016 pay-for-success grant proposal to HUD and 2017 feasibility study.

The pay-for-success project will provide a person-centered housing and supportive services

intervention (PSH) for one hundred twenty-five (125) persons in Rhode Island experiencing

homelessness who are high utilizers of the healthcare and justice systems. The pilot program will

leverage eight hundred seventy-five thousand dollars ($875,000) of HUD/DOJ grant funds.

Contract agreements with the executive office of health and human services pursuant to this chapter

shall not exceed one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) per fiscal year or six

million dollars ($6,000,000) in the aggregate over the five (5) six (6) years of the pilot program, as

determined by the department; provided, no agreements shall be entered by the department after

July 1, 2026 2027, without further authorization by the general assembly.

     SECTION 4. Section 42-166-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-166 entitled "The

Ladders to Licensure Program" is hereby amended to read as follows:

     42-166-2. Use of appropriated funds.

     Any appropriated funds shall be used to provide grants to three (3) or four (4) at least two

(2) grantee partnerships, consisting of multiple private sector health and human services employer

organizations and education grantee partnerships (with at least one focused on behavioral health

and one focused on nursing). Employers will be required to contribute a twenty-five percent (25%)

in-kind match and a ten percent (10%) cash match.

     SECTION 5. This act shall take effect upon passage.