BILL NUMBER: AB 2212	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Gray

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2014

   An act to add Section 14727 to the Welfare and Institutions Code,
relating to Medi-Cal.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2212, as introduced, Gray. Medi-Cal: Early and Periodic
Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT).
   Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is
administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under
which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services.
The Medi-Cal program is, in part, governed and funded by federal
Medicaid Program provisions. Existing law provides that Early and
Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT) for any
individual under 21 years of age is covered under Medi-Cal consistent
with the requirements of federal law. Under federal law, EPSDT
services include screening services, vision services, dental
services, hearing services, and other necessary services to correct
or ameliorate defects and physical and mental illnesses and
conditions discovered by the screening services, whether or not the
services are covered under the state plan.
   This bill would require the department to permit county mental
health plans to contract with local educational agencies (LEAs), as
defined, to provide services for Medi-Cal eligible pupils under
EPSDT. The bill would also require the department to permit a county
mental health plan to obtain federal financial participation on
behalf of nonpublic agencies that contract with an LEA to provide
EPSDT services if the LEA does not have a contract with the county
mental health plan. The bill would also require the department to
examine methodologies for increasing LEA participation in the
Medi-Cal program so that schools can meet the educationally related
health care needs of their pupils.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 14727 is added to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, to read:
   14727.  (a) The department shall permit county mental health plans
to contract with local educational agencies (LEAs) to provide
services for Medi-Cal eligible pupils under Early and Periodic
Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (EPSDT). If an LEA does not have
a contract with the county mental health plan, the department shall
permit the county mental health plan to obtain federal financial
participation on behalf of any nonpublic agencies that contract with
the LEA to provide EPSDT services. Unless otherwise precluded by
federal law, LEAs and nonpublic agencies shall be reimbursed for all
eligible EPSDT services provided under this section.
   (b) Services that a county mental health plan may contract for, or
that a nonpublic agency may receive federal financial participation
for, under this section include, but are not limited to, any of the
following:
   (1) Mental health assessments.
   (2) Targeted case management services.
   (3) Behavioral services.
   (4) Mental health, social work, and counseling services.
   (5) Individual and group services.
   (6) Crisis intervention.
   (7) Day treatment.
   (8) Residential treatment.
   (9) Medication support services.
   (c) The department shall examine methodologies for increasing LEA
participation in the Medi-Cal program so that schools can meet the
educationally related health care needs of their pupils, which shall
include simplifying the claiming processes for Medi-Cal billing to
the extent possible.
   (d) For purposes of this section, "local educational agency" has
the same meaning as that term is defined in Section 56026.3 of the
Education Code.
   (e) This section shall be implemented to the extent permitted by
federal law. The department shall seek any necessary state plan
amendments or waiver amendments to implement this section and shall
undertake all necessary activities to obtain federal financial
participation for reimbursable services provided by LEAs and
nonpublic agencies under this section.