Senate Bill S8745

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S8745

SPONSOR: CARLUCCI
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to the geriatric
service demonstration program to promote mental health and home care
collaboration

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

Requires the Commissioner of the Office of Mental Health to identify
barriers that would prevent providers from accessing the Geriatric
Demonstration Program.

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 adds a new subdivision (d) to section 7.41 of the mental
hygiene law to require the Commissioner of the Office of Mental Health
to identify barriers that would prevent providers from accessing the
Geriatric Demonstration Program.
              

Section 2 of the bill provides for an immediate effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

This bill allows the state to further facilitate the goals of the Geria-
tric Services Demonstration Program by addressing regulatory, financial
and systemic barriers to collaboration with mental health providers and
home care providers.

It will address major barriers to the program's goal of providing
comprehensive, person-centered care within a collaborative model, that
supports the total range of patient needs.

Addressing financial, procedural and systemic barriers to effective
collaboration within the geriatric service demonstration program will
assist in deepening the collaborative partnerships between mental health
providers and providers of home care, and help better serve patient
across the care continuum.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

No cost to the state or localities. Anticipate savings to the state from
further promotion of the collaborative health-mental health effort and
specific goals of maintaining health and averting hospitalizations,
emergency episodes and long term institutionalization.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.