MEDICALLY ASSISTED TREATMENT FOR JUVENILES

This bill prohibits state-operated or state-funded facilities - including inpatient/outpatient substance use treatment centers, juvenile correction facilities, and juvenile detention centers - from restricting medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for minors under 18 with substance use disorders. By July 2026, facilities must eliminate policies blocking MAT (using FDA-approved medications combined with counseling), and they will lose state Medicaid reimbursement eligibility if they continue such restrictions. The bill also creates a dedicated fund to support establishing evidence-based MAT programs for minors, managed by the health care authority, with annual reporting requirements starting in 2025. It directly affects minors in these facilities and the state agencies operating them.