SF 716

1st Engrossment - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 08/24/2015 02:58pm

A bill for an act
relating to mental health; providing for training and outreach regarding mental
health peer specialists; establishing medical assistance coverage for clubhouse
program services; appropriating money for intensive community rehabilitation
services, suicide prevention, intensive treatment for adolescents and young
adults, and housing for individuals with mental illness; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2014, sections 256B.0615, by adding a subdivision; 256B.0625, by
adding a subdivision.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 256B.0615, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

Subd. 6.

Commissioner's duties related to peer specialist training and outreach.

The commissioner shall collaborate with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
system to identify coursework to fulfill the peer specialist training requirements. In
addition, the commissioner shall provide outreach to community mental health providers
to increase their knowledge on how peer specialists can be utilized, best practices on
hiring peer specialists, how peer specialist activities can be billed, and the benefits of
hiring peer specialists.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 256B.0625, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

Subd. 64.

Clubhouse program services for persons with mental illness.

Effective
July 1, 2015, or upon federal approval, whichever is later, medical assistance covers
clubhouse program services that are provided by a program provider meeting or exceeding
the standards of Clubhouse International. Clubhouse is a program for persons with
serious mental illness that provides services that are structured and community-based
in a psychosocial rehabilitation setting and that include skill building, mental health
management, and community supports to improve the potential for persons with serious
mental illness to establish and maintain social relationships and to obtain housing and
occupational and educational achievements.

Sec. 3. REPORT ON INTENSIVE COMMUNITY REHABILITATION
SERVICES (ICRS).

The commissioner of human services shall provide a report with recommendations
about the intensive community rehabilitation services program and options for sustainable
funding modes. The report shall specifically:

(1) analyze how the intensive community rehabilitation services program provides
needed services and supports that are not part of other mental health services already
covered by medical assistance;

(2) identify similar program models that are used in other states that fill similar
service gaps and how they are funded;

(3) analyze how the intensive community rehabilitation services model differs
between rural and metro areas;

(4) make recommendations for expanding the service; and

(5) analyze potential sources for sustainable funding, including inclusion as a
Medicaid benefit.

Stakeholders will be included in the development of the report. The report is due to the
chairs of the committees with jurisdiction over health and human services finance by
January 15, 2016.

Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION; INTENSIVE COMMUNITY REHABILITATION
SERVICES.

$1,200,000 per year is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of human services in fiscal years 2016 and 2017 for the continuation of the intensive
community rehabilitation services program. This is a onetime appropriation.

Sec. 5. APPROPRIATION; TEXT MESSAGE SUICIDE PREVENTION
PROGRAM.

$1,500,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated
from the general fund to the commissioner of health to expand the statewide text message
suicide prevention program and to fund training within schools and communities to
encourage the use of the program.

Sec. 6. APPROPRIATION; SPECIAL PROJECTS FOR ADOLESCENT AND
YOUNG ADULT INTENSIVE TREATMENT AND SUPPORTS.

(a) $500,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated
from the general fund to the commissioner of human services to fund special projects to
provide intensive treatment and supports to adolescents and young adults 26 years of age
or younger who are experiencing their first psychotic or manic episode. Intensive treatment
and supports includes medication management, psychoeducation for the individual and
family, care coordination, employment supports, education supports, cognitive behavioral
approaches, cognitive remediation, social skills training, peer support, crisis planning, and
stress management. The special projects must utilize all available funding streams.

(b) $100,000 in fiscal year 2016 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of human services to fund a project to conduct outreach, training, and
guidance to mental health and health care professionals, including postsecondary
health clinics, on early psychosis symptoms, screening tools, and best practices. This
appropriation is available until expended.

Sec. 7. APPROPRIATION; SUPPORTIVE HOUSING SERVICES FOR
ADULTS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.

$2,500,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $2,500,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated
from the general fund to the commissioner of human services for adult mental health
grants to increase the availability of a range of housing options with supports for persons
with serious mental illness.