Bill Text: CT SB00471 | 2014 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: An Act Concerning Mental And Behavioral Health Services.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-03-14 - Public Hearing 03/19 [SB00471 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2014-SB00471-Introduced.html

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General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 471
February Session, 2014		LCO No. 2552
		*02552_______PH_*
Referred to Committee on PUBLIC HEALTH
Introduced by:
(PH)

AN ACT CONCERNING MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 10-206 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2014):

(a) Each local or regional board of education shall require each pupil enrolled in the public schools to have health assessments pursuant to the provisions of this section. Such assessments shall be conducted by (1) a legally qualified practitioner of medicine, (2) an advanced practice registered nurse or registered nurse, licensed pursuant to chapter 378, (3) a physician assistant, licensed pursuant to chapter 370, (4) a school medical advisor, or (5) a legally qualified practitioner of medicine, an advanced practice registered nurse or a physician assistant stationed at any military base, to ascertain whether such pupil is suffering from any mental or physical disability tending to prevent such pupil from receiving the full benefit of school work and to ascertain whether such school work should be modified in order to prevent injury to the pupil or to secure for the pupil a suitable program of education. No health assessment shall be made of any child enrolled in the public schools unless such examination is made in the presence of the parent or guardian or in the presence of another school employee. The parent or guardian of such child shall receive prior written notice and shall have a reasonable opportunity to be present at such assessment or to provide for such assessment himself or herself. A local or regional board of education may deny continued attendance in public school to any child who fails to obtain the health assessments required under this section.

(b) Each local or regional board of education shall require each child to have a health assessment prior to public school enrollment. The assessment shall include: (1) A physical examination [which] that shall include hematocrit or hemoglobin tests, height, weight, blood pressure, and, beginning with the 2003-2004 school year, a chronic disease assessment [which] that shall include, but not be limited to, asthma as defined by the Commissioner of Public Health pursuant to subsection (c) of section 19a-62a. The assessment form shall include (A) a check box for the provider conducting the assessment, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, to indicate an asthma diagnosis, (B) screening questions relating to appropriate public health concerns to be answered by the parent or guardian, and (C) screening questions to be answered by such provider; (2) an updating of immunizations as required under section 10-204a, provided a registered nurse may only update said immunizations pursuant to a written order by a physician or physician assistant, licensed pursuant to chapter 370, or an advanced practice registered nurse, licensed pursuant to chapter 378; (3) vision, hearing, speech and gross dental screenings; (4) mental health screenings; and [(4)] (5) such other information, including health and developmental history, as the physician feels is necessary and appropriate. The assessment shall also include tests for tuberculosis, sickle cell anemia or Cooley's anemia and tests for lead levels in the blood where the local or regional board of education determines after consultation with the school medical advisor and the local health department, or in the case of a regional board of education, each local health department, that such tests are necessary, provided a registered nurse may only perform said tests pursuant to the written order of a physician or physician assistant, licensed pursuant to chapter 370, or an advanced practice registered nurse, licensed pursuant to chapter 378.

(c) Each local or regional board of education shall require each pupil enrolled in the public schools to have health assessments in either grade six or grade seven and in either grade nine or grade ten. The assessment shall include: (1) A physical examination [which] that shall include hematocrit or hemoglobin tests, height, weight, blood pressure, and, beginning with the 2003-2004 school year, a chronic disease assessment [which] that shall include, but not be limited to, asthma as defined by the Commissioner of Public Health pursuant to subsection (c) of section 19a-62a. The assessment form shall include (A) a check box for the provider conducting the assessment, as provided in subsection (a) of this section, to indicate an asthma diagnosis, (B) screening questions relating to appropriate public health concerns to be answered by the parent or guardian, and (C) screening questions to be answered by such provider; (2) an updating of immunizations as required under section 10-204a, provided a registered nurse may only update said immunizations pursuant to a written order of a physician or physician assistant, licensed pursuant to chapter 370, or an advanced practice registered nurse, licensed pursuant to chapter 378; (3) vision, hearing, postural and gross dental screenings; (4) mental health screenings; and [(4)] (5) such other information including a health history as the physician feels is necessary and appropriate. The assessment shall also include tests for tuberculosis and sickle cell anemia or Cooley's anemia where the local or regional board of education, in consultation with the school medical advisor and the local health department, or in the case of a regional board of education, each local health department, determines that said screening or test is necessary, provided a registered nurse may only perform said tests pursuant to the written order of a physician or physician assistant, licensed pursuant to chapter 370, or an advanced practice registered nurse, licensed pursuant to chapter 378.

(d) The results of each assessment done pursuant to this section and the results of screenings done pursuant to section 10-214 shall be recorded on forms supplied by the State Board of Education. Such information shall be included in the cumulative health record of each pupil and shall be kept on file in the school such pupil attends. If a pupil permanently leaves the jurisdiction of the board of education, the pupil's original cumulative health record shall be sent to the chief administrative officer of the school district to which such student moves. The board of education transmitting such health record shall retain a true copy. Each physician, advanced practice registered nurse, registered nurse, or physician assistant performing health assessments and screenings pursuant to this section and section 10-214 shall completely fill out and sign each form and any recommendations concerning the pupil shall be in writing.

(e) Appropriate school health personnel shall review the results of each assessment and screening as recorded pursuant to subsection (d) of this section. When, in the judgment of such health personnel, a pupil, as defined in section 10-206a, is in need of further testing or treatment, the superintendent of schools shall give written notice to the parent or guardian of such pupil and shall make reasonable efforts to assure that such further testing or treatment is provided. Such reasonable efforts shall include a determination of whether or not the parent or guardian has obtained the necessary testing or treatment for the pupil, and, if not, advising the parent or guardian on how such testing or treatment may be obtained. The results of such further testing or treatment shall be recorded pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, and shall be reviewed by school health personnel pursuant to this subsection.

(f) On and after February 1, 2004, each local or regional board of education shall report to the local health department and the Department of Public Health, on an annual basis, the total number of pupils per school and per school district having a diagnosis of asthma (1) at the time of public school enrollment, (2) in grade six or seven, and (3) in grade ten or eleven. The report shall contain the asthma information collected as required under subsections (b) and (c) of this section and shall include pupil age, gender, race, ethnicity and school. Beginning on October 1, 2004, and every three years thereafter, the Department of Public Health shall review the asthma screening information reported pursuant to this section and shall submit a report to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health and education concerning asthma trends and distributions among pupils enrolled in the public schools. The report shall be submitted in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a and shall include, but not be limited to, trends and findings based on pupil age, gender, race, ethnicity, school and the education reference group, as determined by the Department of Education for the town or regional school district in which such school is located.

Sec. 2. Subsection (d) of section 20-74s of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2014):

(d) To be eligible for licensure as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, an applicant shall (1) have attained a master's degree from an accredited institution of higher education in social work, marriage and family therapy, counseling, psychology or a related field approved by the commissioner that included a minimum of eighteen graduate semester hours in (A) counseling, [or] (B) counseling-related subjects, or (C) another subject approved by the commissioner, provided the semester hours in a subject other than counseling or a counseling-related subject were completed or in progress on or before July 1, 2013, except applicants holding certified clinical supervisor status by the Connecticut Certification Board, Inc. as of October 1, 1998, may substitute such certification in lieu of the master's degree requirement, and (2) have completed the certification eligibility requirements described in subsection (e) of this section.

Sec. 3. (Effective July 1, 2014) The sum of ____ dollars is appropriated to the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, from the General Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, for regional behavioral health consultation and care coordination in accordance with the provisions of section 4 of this act.

Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) Not later than January 1, 2015, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall, in consultation with the Commissioner of Children and Families, establish and implement a regional behavioral health consultation and care coordination program for primary care providers who serve young adults eighteen to twenty-five years of age. Such program shall provide to such primary care providers: (1) Timely access to a consultation team that includes a psychiatrist who works with young adults, a social worker and a care coordinator; (2) patient care coordination and transitional services for behavioral health services; and (3) training and education concerning patient access to behavioral health services. Said commissioner may enter into a contract for services to administer such program.

(b) Not later than October 1, 2015, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall submit a plan, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health, human services and appropriations concerning the program established pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

Sec. 5. (Effective July 1, 2014) Not later than January 1, 2015, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of Social Services, shall ensure that young adults who receive services from the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services' adult mobile crisis line may easily access the 2-1-1 Infoline program. The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services shall promote the system for accessing the 2-1-1 Infoline program to young adults in psychiatric crisis.

Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2014) On and after October 1, 2014, a primary care provider may offer to provide a mental health screening to each patient eighteen to twenty-five years of age at the time a primary care provider provides services to such patient.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	October 1, 2014	10-206
Sec. 2	October 1, 2014	20-74s(d)
Sec. 3	July 1, 2014	New section
Sec. 4	from passage	New section
Sec. 5	July 1, 2014	New section
Sec. 6	October 1, 2014	New section

Statement of Purpose:

To require mental health screenings for school-age children, to allow primary care providers to offer mental health screenings to young adults, to modify the allowable educational courses for alcohol and drug counselors, to require the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to establish a regional behavioral health consultation and care coordination program and to require the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to ensure young adults may access the 2-1-1 Infoline program.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]