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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, First Regular Session
behavioral health; foster children
Purpose
Directs the Department of Child Safety (DCS) to provide behavioral health services to eligible children, as prescribed by DCS rule, if certain conditions are met.
Background
Established
in 1970, the Comprehensive
Medical and Dental Program (CMDP) is a Medicaid health plan that
provides comprehensive medical and dental care, inpatient, outpatient and other
health services for eligible foster children. The CMDP is provided through
agreements between DCS, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System
(AHCCCS) and the Department of Health Services and includes coverage for
preventative care such as well child checks, immunizations, medical, dental,
vision care, prescription drugs and physical therapy without a
co-payment. Statute directs DCS to provide the CMDP for each child who is: 1)
in voluntary placement; 2) in custody of DCS in an out-of-home placement; and 3)
in the custody of a probation department and placed in foster care, with
certain exceptions (A.R.S.
§ 8-512).
S.B. 1246 is conditionally effective upon the appropriation and availability of funding from the state and federal government for the CMDP.
Provisions
1. Adds behavioral health services to the CMDP for eligible children, if certain conditions are met.
2. Eliminates the ability of a provider that has an agreement registration to be employed through the CMDP by a foster parent, relative, certified adoptive parent, agency or department that has responsibility for the care of a child.
3. Exempts DCS contracts for AHCCCS services from certain procurement requirements.
4. States that provisions related to CMDP services and providers do not become effective unless, on or before January 1, 2024, funding is made available by the state and federal government for DCS to provide behavioral health services to eligible members of the CMDP.
5. Directs DCS to notify the Director of the Legislative Council in writing if the condition was or was not met, on or before February 1, 2024.
6. Makes technical and conforming changes.
7. Becomes effective on the later of the day on which the condition is met, and from and after October 1, 2020.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 11, 2019
CRS/kja