SB 255 Louisiana Senate · 2026 Regular Session

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: Provides relative to psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) services. (8/1/26)

SB 255 requires Medicaid-funded behavioral health providers in Louisiana to ensure staff delivering psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) services hold at least a bachelor's degree in specific fields like counseling, social work, or psychology. This affects all licensed providers seeking Medicaid reimbursement for PSR services. The bill mandates these educational qualifications as a condition for continued reimbursement, updating existing Medicaid eligibility rules. The measure is pending legislative review and would not take effect until enacted.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Senate Passage

May 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

May 2026

Introduced Feb 26, 2026 Signed May 22, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB255 Original → SB255 Act 375 · 3 edits

MINOR

This bill updates the educational requirements for individuals providing psychosocial rehabilitation services to be eligible for Medicaid reimbursement. It expands the list of acceptable bachelor's degrees to include fields such as health sciences, therapeutic recreation, criminal justice, and human growth and development, in addition to previously approved fields like counseling and social work. This change broadens the pool of qualified professionals who can deliver these essential behavioral health services.

Scope change

The bill applies to all individuals rendering psychosocial rehabilitation services for licensed and accredited provider agencies seeking Medicaid reimbursement.

REQUIREMENT

The list of acceptable bachelor's degrees for PSR service providers was expanded to include health sciences, therapeutic recreation, criminal justice, and human growth and development.

The text was reorganized to clarify that the new degree fields are alternatives to the previously required fields, rather than additions to the existing list.

TECHNICAL

The bill status was updated from 'Original' to 'Enrolled' and the list of co-sponsors was updated to reflect the final legislative action.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 8, 2026 · House May 11, 2026

How they voted

37–0

Passed · 3 other

Total votes 40

Apr 8, 2026

D Democratic12

12 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican28

25 Yea 3

89% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 18, 2026

Upper · Passed

Amendments proposed by the House read and concurred in by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays.

upper

May 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 97, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 5, 2026

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

Apr 29, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably (11-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

Apr 13, 2026

Committee

Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

lower

Apr 8, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 36 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Apr 1, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Health and Welfare.

upper

1 primary · 17 co-sponsors