Peer Recovery Workforce
HB 3599 (Gervin-Hawkins)- certification of peer specialists and peer specialist supervisors for purposes of Medicaid mental health and substance use services. HB 3599 aims to clarify and standardize the eligibility criteria for peer specialist and peer specialist supervisor certification under Medicaid mental health and substance use services. The bill changes specific timelines for denying certification based on past criminal convictions while allowing for stricter exclusions in cases involving harm to others.
Key Provisions:
1. Time-Limited Certification Denials:
- An applicant for peer specialist or peer specialist supervisor certification under Medicaid can be denied certification for:
- Lowers from five years to three years following a Class A misdemeanor or felony conviction related to alcohol or drug offenses.
- Lowers from three years to two years following a Class B misdemeanor alcohol or drug offense.
- Three years following any other felony conviction, unless an exception applies.
2. Maintains Exclusion for Certain Offenses:
- A longer exclusion period may be applied if the conviction involved:
- Harm or potential harm to a child, an adult, or an animal.
- The executive commissioner is responsible for defining these extended exclusion periods through rulemaking.
3. Federal Waiver Flexibility:
- If a federal waiver or authorization is required to implement any part of the bill, the responsible state agency must request the waiver and may delay implementation until approval is granted.
Impact:
- Ensures consistent eligibility criteria for peer specialists in Medicaid mental health and substance use services.
- Expands employment pathways for individuals with lived experience, reducing arbitrary lifetime bans.
HB 330 (Meza) relating to reporting and investigating certain cases of child abuse or neglect involving a pregnant person’s use of a controlled substance.
Purpose:
HB 330 aims to modify reporting and investigation requirements related to child abuse or neglect cases involving a pregnant person’s use of a controlled substance. The bill seeks to encourage treatment over punitive responses by providing exemptions from mandatory reporting and investigation under certain conditions.
Key Provisions:
1. Exemption from Mandatory Reporting:
- Healthcare professionals (including prenatal and mental health providers) are not required to report a pregnant person’s illegal use of a controlled substance if:
- The individual is currently enrolled in or has recently completed a substance abuse treatment program, or
- They made reasonable efforts to enroll in a program within five days of disclosure.
- The professional must also determine that:
- There is no immediate risk of harm to the child from substance exposure.
- The individual does not otherwise pose an immediate risk of harm to the child.
2. Limits on CPS Investigations:
- The Department of Family and Protective Services may not investigate allegations of child abuse or neglect solely based on a pregnant person’s illegal substance use if the individual successfully completes a substance abuse treatment program supervised by the referring or treating professional.
Impact:
- Encourages pregnant individuals to seek treatment without fear of automatic CPS involvement.
- Prioritizes healthcare-based interventions over punitive responses.
- Helps reduce barriers to prenatal care and substance use treatment for pregnant individuals.
Past Actions
Coming soon