S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10707
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 14, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. BRONSON -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Health
 
 AN ACT to amend the social services law, in relation to making care  and
   services provided by licensed mental health practitioners eligible for
   coverage under the Medicaid program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Legislative intent. Whereas Medicaid covers  mental  health
 services  in  New  York state to psychiatrists, psychologists and social
 workers, Medicaid does not recognize  New  York  state  licensed  mental
 health  practitioners  as  providers within the Medicaid program. Mental
 health practitioners are often the only mental health providers in urban
 underserved minority communities. A critical  result  of  this  lack  of
 providers is that minority communities bear a disproportionate number of
 burdens  of  mental  health disabilities and inadequately treated mental
 health disorders. Excluding mental health  practitioners  from  treating
 Medicaid beneficiaries with untreated mental illness puts such benefici-
 aries  disproportionately  at  risk  for  engagement  with  the criminal
 justice system. This puts individuals, families and communities at  risk
 of  harm.    Approximately 26 percent of adults experience a diagnosable
 behavioral health disorder each year, and researchers have  reported  20
 percent of adolescents display psychological problems. Behavioral health
 disorders,  ranging  from  inattention to violence are often a result of
 those psychological problems.
   Mental health practitioners are valuable providers  of  mental  health
 services  in  New  York state. Unfortunately Medicaid does not recognize
 their important contribution to the present health care delivery system.
   § 2. Subdivision 2 of section 365-a of  the  social  services  law  is
 amended by adding a new paragraph (ff) to read as follows:
   (FF)  CARE  AND  SERVICES  PROVIDED  BY  MENTAL  HEALTH  PRACTITIONERS
 LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-THREE  OF  THE  EDUCATION
 LAW.
   § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninety-first day after it shall
 have become a law.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
              

                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD01543-06-8