Senate Bill S8363

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S8363

SPONSOR: FERNANDEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the mental hygiene law, in relation to establishing the
individual counseling for integrated care rate enhancement act

 
PURPOSE:

Extends an existing rate enhancement for group counseling so that it
applies to individual counseling provided by certain licensed practi-
tioners authorized to diagnosis and develop assessment-based treatment
plans to expand access to integrated care provided by clinics licensed
under Article 32 of the MHL

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1. Names the individual counseling rated enhancement for inte-
grated care act

Section 2. adds a new section 19.18-d to establish a rate enhancement
              

for reimbursement of individual psychotherapy when the service is
provided by certain licensed mental health practitioners at outpatient
substance use disorder clinics licensed under Article 32 of this chap-
ter.

Section 3. provides for the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

There are critical barriers to accessing integrated health care and
treatment when individuals are suffering from both a mental illness and
substance use disorder. There is a need to ensure that programs and
services providing addiction and mental health services are encouraged
to hire enough qualified staff who are licensed to diagnose and treat
those presenting with co-occurring disorders.  Currently, outpatient
substance use disorder clinics licensed by the Office of Addiction

Services and Supports can receive an enhanced rate for group therapy
when provided by a licensed mental health practitioner who is licensed
to diagnose and develop assessment-based treatment plans.  Yet the indi-
vidual therapy rates are not enhanced and are based on services provided
by certified, but not licensed staff.

To ensure that individuals are properly diagnosed and provided with a
treatment plan to address their mental health and substance use disorder
needs without having to be admitted for care at 2 separate clinics, the
appropriate staff need to be integrated into substance use disorder
treatment settings. Diagnosis and treatment plans can only be provided
by certain practitioners licensed under Art 153, Art 154 or Art 163 of
State Education Law. Yet the rate paid at Art 32 outpatient clinics is
based upon the outdated assumption that the counseling will be provided
by a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC).
While this certification allows professionals to work in jobs related to
addiction counseling, it does not allow for diagnosing, providing
psychotherapy or developing assessment-based treatment plans.


If access to integrated mental health and substance use services is to
be expanded, rates that cover the cost of employing master's level
licensed mental health practitioners must become commonplace at outpa-
tient substance use disorder clinics licensed by OASAS.  Authorizing an
enhanced rate for certain services can encourage the delivery of inte-
grated care.

This bill incentivizes having appropriate licensed practitioners at
OASAS outpatient clinics. The bill will ensure those with co-occurring
disorders do not need to seek treatment in separate locations. The bill
is necessary because:

1)OASAS individual counseling is assumed to be provided by CASACs not
Master's level professionals and the rate is therefore too low to
support hiring the Master's level professionals. 2)To routinely treat
patients with a dual diagnosis, the individual therapists who can diag-
nose and develop treatment plans are Masters level licensed mental
health counselors, licensed marriage and family therapists, licensed
psychotherapists, and licensed clinical social workers

3)When a licensed therapist provides the individual service, the rate
enhancement would be added to cover the cost of the professional provid-
ing the service

4)Assessment based treatment plans can only be developed by certain
licensed practitioners and adding group therapy to a treatment plan
without an initial diagnostic individual session, it is not best prac-
tice.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

The bill would be budget neutral to Medicaid spending, because most
patients would be receiving the services by going to two separate
locations for care. The effectiveness and (an OMH-licensed clinic for
their diagnostic and psychotherapy mental health care and an OASAS-li-
censed clinic for their substance use disorder counseling).

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.