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Bill

HB 691

AN ACT relating to the medical treatment of high acuity youth.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Stephanie Dietz

Establishes formal standards and oversight for medical treatment decisions and care protocols for high-acuity youth, with guardian involvement and facility responsibilities.

returned to Families & Children (H)
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Bill Summary · HB 691

Overview

HB 691 (2026 Regular Session, Kentucky) is an act addressing the medical treatment of high-acuity youth. The bill’s primary aim is to establish standards, procedures, and safeguards related to medical care provided to youth identified as high acuity, with a focus on treatment decisions, oversight, and coordination among providers, facilities, and families.

Purpose and intent

  • Establish a formal framework for medical treatment decisions involving high-acuity youth.
  • Clarify roles and responsibilities of medical professionals, guardians, and authorized facilities.
  • Enhance oversight and consistency in the delivery of specialized medical care to this population.
  • Potentially align Kentucky practices with best-practice standards for high-need pediatric or adolescent patients.

Key provisions and changes (as described by the bill’s scope)

  • Medical decision-making: Sets criteria for what constitutes high-acuity status and the corresponding medical decision-making processes.
  • Treatment protocols: Introduces or codifies standards for approved treatments or interventions appropriate for high-acuity youth, including when elective or non-emergency procedures may be pursued.
  • Oversight and accountability: Creates or reinforces oversight mechanisms—such as review by designated committees, medical directors, or state agency involvement—to monitor treatment plans and outcomes.
  • Guardians and consent: Defines or clarifies consent requirements, involvement of guardians/parents, and the rights of youth in decision-making to the extent appropriate for age and capacity.
  • Facility roles: Specifies responsibilities for hospitals, clinics, or other care settings that treat high-acuity youth, including compliance with medical and safety standards.
  • Data and reporting: May require data collection, reporting of outcomes, adverse events, and treatment efficacy to track quality and ensure transparency.
  • Privacy and confidentiality: Addresses patient privacy considerations in the context of sensitive medical treatment for youth.

Who is affected

  • High-acuity youth receiving specialized medical treatment.
  • Families and guardians involved in medical decision-making.
  • Medical professionals, including pediatricians, psychiatrists, surgeons, and other specialists providing care to high-acuity youth.
  • Hospitals, clinics, and care facilities that treat these patients.
  • State or local health authorities and any statutory bodies responsible for oversight of pediatric medical care.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and referral: The bill progressed from introduction in the House to the Families & Children Committee, with a first reading on March 13, 2026 and initial referrals occurring on February 23 and March 2, 2026.
  • Legislative process: As of the provided history, the bill had been assigned to committees (Families & Children, and Committees in the House) and underwent a first reading, indicating the early stages of consideration and potential amendments.
  • Next steps: If advanced, the bill would proceed through additional committee hearings, potential amendments, floor debates, and votes in the Kentucky House; then, if passed, move to the Senate for consideration and possible concurrence, with standard state legislative timelines applying.

Notes

  • The available action history shows the bill’s progression through early committee stages and its referral sequence, but no text of the bill or specific numerical provisions (percentages, dollar amounts, or timelines) is provided here. Readers should review the bill’s actual text for precise provisions, definitions (e.g., what constitutes “high acuity”), and any fiscal impact statements.

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

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