HF 1192

1st Engrossment - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/18/2013 04:49pm

A bill for an act
relating to public health; requiring notification of autism service options for
medical assistance and MinnesotaCare recipients; requiring medical assistance to
cover specified services for the treatment of autism; requiring commissioner of
health to research and report on autism; requiring commissioners of health and
human services to train autism service providers; amending Minnesota Statutes
2012, section 256B.0625, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for new
law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 256.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [256.9621] AUTISM NOTIFICATION.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner of human services shall develop an informational notice for
parents of children with autism who are enrolled in medical assistance or MinnesotaCare
to inform them that their children may qualify to receive services on a fee-for-service basis
instead of through a managed care organization, explain the process of disenrolling from
managed care, and inform them that fee-for-service coverage may provide access to an
expanded set of providers. The commissioner shall make the informational notice available
on the department's public Web site and include a copy of the notice in the next scheduled
mailing to enrolled children. The commissioner shall make language translations of the
notice available on the agency Web site and in the mailing to the enrolled children.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 256B.0625, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 61. new text end

new text begin Services for the treatment of autism. new text end

new text begin Medical assistance services for the
treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder and related conditions must include
applied behavioral analysis (ABA) and neuro-developmental therapy, if determined by a
physician, psychologist, or other mental health professionals to be medically necessary
and age appropriate, and based on current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders guidelines.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin AUTISM RESEARCH AND REPORT.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner of health shall design a study that addresses issues of the
prevention of autism in cultural communities in Minnesota. The study must plan to
address at least the following factors: potential or known toxic environmental exposures of
the biological family, housing conditions, poverty, nutritional factors, prescribed medical
treatments, and the occupational and residential history of the children's parents including
war and refugee experience. The commissioner shall report the proposed study design to
the chairs and ranking minority members of legislative committees having jurisdiction
over public health and health and human services in the house of representatives and
senate by January 15, 2014.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin TRAINING OF AUTISM SERVICE PROVIDERS.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner of health and the commissioner of human services shall ensure
that the departments' autism-related service providers receive training in culturally
appropriate approaches to serving the Somali, Latino, Hmong, and Indigenous American
Indian communities, and other cultural groups experiencing a disproportionate incidence
of autism.
new text end