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HB 5527

AN ACT RELATING TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND HOSPITALS -- CHILDREN'S MOBILE RESPONSE AND STABILIZATION SERVICES ACT

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Edith Ajello and 9 co-sponsors

Establishes a statewide 24/7 Mobile Response and Stabilization Service for ages 2-21 to rapidly stabilize crises, reduce hospitalizations/ER visits, and connect families to care.

05/20/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 5527

Summary — HB 5527: Children's Mobile Response and Stabilization Services Act

Status: Introduced Feb 13/Mar 14, 2025; Committee recommended measure be held for further study (05/20/2025). Takes effect upon passage.

Purpose / Intent

Establish a statewide, standalone Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) program to address behavioral health crises for children and youth ages 2–21. Goals include: timely crisis response and stabilization, prevention of unnecessary psychiatric hospitalizations/ER visits or out‑of‑home placements, compliance with Medicaid’s EPSDT obligations, and delivery of family‑centered, trauma‑informed care in children’s natural environments (home, school, community).

Key provisions

  • Program establishment: Adds Chapter 30 to R.I. Gen. Laws Title 40.1 creating the “Children’s Mobile Response and Stabilization Services Act.”
  • Age range: Services available to children and youth ages 2 through 21.
  • 24/7 operation and response time: MRSS must operate 24/7 with a response time of no more than one hour from initial request.
  • Access: Services available without formal referral or prior authorization; access determined by child/family/caregiver.
  • Service model and workforce:
    • Culturally, linguistically, and developmentally appropriate services.
    • Crisis teams include licensed clinicians, peer support specialists, and family navigators.
    • Short‑term stabilization, transition planning, family‑centered coordination, and follow‑up linkage to ongoing care, education, and community supports.
    • Emphasis on evidence‑based child/adolescent interventions.
  • Provider requirements: Certification/licensure standards, demonstrated child crisis expertise, collaboration/agreements with schools, child welfare, juvenile justice, pediatric providers, and certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs).
  • Medicaid/EPSDT and federal compliance:
    • State Medicaid agency authorized to submit a State Plan Amendment (SPA) to CMS to reimburse MRSS under EPSDT. SPA must be submitted within 90 days of enactment.
    • Services must meet criteria in 42 U.S.C. §1396d(a) and comply with federal EPSDT standards.
  • Funding:
    • Appropriates $6,000,000 from the state general fund to support implementation (provider certification, workforce development, expansion to underserved regions, public awareness).
    • Directs the state to allocate additional general revenue where Medicaid does not cover services (e.g., family education, peer supports, workforce development).
  • Oversight and accountability:
    • Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) to oversee implementation, collect utilization/outcome/demographic data, promulgate rules, and provide annual reports to the General Assembly on hospitalizations, satisfaction, service gaps, and recommendations.

Who is affected

  • Primary: Children and youth ages 2–21 experiencing behavioral health crises and their families/caregivers.
  • Service providers: Licensed behavioral health agencies, MRSS teams, peer specialists, family navigators, schools, pediatric providers, CCBHCs.
  • Payers: Medicaid (via SPA/EPSDT) and state general revenue for non‑Medicaid‑covered elements.
  • State agency: DCYF (implementation, reporting, rulemaking).

Potential impacts and implementation considerations

  • Expected outcomes: Faster crisis intervention, reduced psychiatric hospitalizations/ER visits and out‑of‑home placements, improved family engagement and linkage to services.
  • Fiscal considerations: $6M appropriation up front, plus ongoing state funding to fill Medicaid gaps; SPA approval by CMS is required for Medicaid reimbursement.
  • Operational: Requires workforce development, certification of providers, interagency agreements (schools, child welfare, juvenile justice), and DCYF rulemaking and data infrastructure.

For more detailed text, see the bill's full language adding R.I. Gen. Laws Chapter 40.1‑30.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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