A 329: Relates to setting integrated behavioral health services - New York

A329B → A329C · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to rename the program from 'Comprehensive outpatient services' to 'Integrated behavioral health services' and to expand the list of sponsors. The most significant policy change is the addition of a reimbursement guarantee, ensuring that payment for these services is not less than the standard rate for similar services provided by licensed mental health or addiction programs. The bill also added new requirements for corporate governance, utilization review, and suspension/revocation procedures, while streamlining the regulatory structure by combining previously separate standards into a single set of rules.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include children and youth seeking services regardless of their primary diagnosis, and the regulatory framework was broadened to cover corporate structure and utilization review.

DEFINITION

The program name was changed from 'Comprehensive outpatient services' to 'Integrated behavioral health services', and the definition was updated to explicitly include children and youth seeking care regardless of their primary diagnosis.

FISCAL

A new provision mandates that reimbursement for integrated behavioral health services cannot be lower than the applicable reimbursement rate for similar services provided by licensed mental health or addiction programs.

REQUIREMENT

New regulatory requirements were added to cover corporate structure, governance, utilization review, and the suspension or revocation of licenses.

The regulatory standards were consolidated from a list of construction and operation standards into a single, comprehensive set of regulations that includes staffing, billing, and patient protections.

TECHNICAL

The specific requirement for a 'single set of licensing standards' for the construction of physical facilities was removed and replaced with broader regulatory oversight.

ELIGIBILITY

The list of bill sponsors was expanded to include Assembly members Santabarbara and Chandler-Waterman.

A329A → A329B · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was renumbered from A329-A to A329-B and sent back to committee for further review. The text of the act was updated to add a new section to the Mental Hygiene Law establishing 'Comprehensive Outpatient Services Centers.' These centers would integrate mental health, addiction, and physical health care under a single license, simplifying the regulatory process by removing the Department of Health from the joint licensing authority and streamlining the list of required patient protections.

Scope change

The bill's scope was refined to focus primarily on the Mental Hygiene Law, removing references to amending the Social Services Law. The licensing authority for these centers was changed from a joint effort involving the Department of Health to a joint effort between the Office of Mental Health and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports.

TECHNICAL

The bill number was changed from A329-A to A329-B, and the procedural history was updated to reflect that the bill was recommitted to the Committee on Mental Health.

REQUIREMENT

The Department of Health was removed from the list of agencies authorized to jointly establish licensing standards for comprehensive outpatient services centers.

The list of required standards for patient protection was expanded and reorganized to explicitly include patient rights, mandatory child abuse reporting, consent to treatment, and record confidentiality.

DEFINITION

References to specific laws (e.g., Social Services Law, Public Health Law) were replaced with references to 'this chapter' or 'this title' to ensure the definitions apply consistently within the Mental Hygiene Law.

A329 → A329A · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand its scope by adding a new subdivision for addiction services and updating definitions to better align with existing mental health and public health laws. The amendment clarifies that 'addiction services' must follow specific state definitions and modifies the standards for physical health services to explicitly include care provided under the supervision of physicians. These changes aim to create a more unified and legally consistent framework for comprehensive outpatient centers that treat both mental illness and addiction.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include addiction services as a distinct category alongside mental health services, requiring new definitions and licensing standards that reference existing addiction provider certifications.

DEFINITION

The definition of 'Mental health services' was revised to specify that it refers only to services provided by clinics licensed under Article 31 of the Mental Hygiene Law, removing the broader 'treatment of mental illness' phrasing.

A new definition for 'Addiction services' was added, requiring it to have the same meaning as defined in the Mental Hygiene Law and be provided by providers certified under Article 32.

REQUIREMENT

The definition of 'Physical health services' was updated to clarify that these services can be provided by a nurse practitioner or midwife acting under the direct supervision of a physician, in addition to being provided by a physician.

The licensing standards for comprehensive outpatient centers were updated to reference specific existing articles in the Mental Hygiene Law (19, 22, 31, 32, 33) and the Public Health Law (28) as the baseline for construction and operation requirements.

The adverse event reporting standard was updated to specifically cite Section 2805-l of the Public Health Law.

Relates to setting integrated behavioral health services

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