BILL NUMBER: SB 1466	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 15, 2016
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 1, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 31, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  APRIL 14, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 28, 2016

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Mitchell

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2016

   An act to add Section 14132.19 to the Welfare and Institutions
Code, relating to Medi-Cal.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1466, as amended, Mitchell. Early and Periodic Screening,
Diagnosis, and Treatment Program: trauma screening.
   Existing law provides for the Medi-Cal program, which is
administered by the State Department of Health Care Services, under
which qualified low-income individuals receive health care services,
including early and periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment for
any individual under 21 years of age who is covered under Medi-Cal
consistent with the requirements under federal law. The Medi-Cal
program is, in part, governed and funded by federal Medicaid program
provisions.
   Existing federal law provides that EPSDT services include periodic
screening services, vision services, dental services, hearing
services, and other necessary services to correct or ameliorate
defects and physical and mental illnesses and conditions discovered
by the screening services, whether or not the services are covered
under the state plan. In addition to the required periodic screening
services, existing federal law provides that Medicaid-eligible
children are entitled to interperiodic screenings in order to
identify a suspected illness or condition not present or discovered
during the periodic examination.
   The bill would require, consistent with federal law, that
screening services under the EPSDT program include screening for
trauma, as defined by the  bill. The bill would require that
any child who is removed from the custody or care of his or her
parent or legal guardian, as specified, be assessed by the county
mental health plan for specialty mental health services. 
 bill and as specified.  The bill also would require the
department, in consultation with the State Department of Social
 Services,   Services  and others, to
adopt, employ, and develop, as appropriate, tools and protocols for
screening children for trauma and  further  would
authorize the department to implement, interpret, or make specific
the screening tools and protocols by means of all-county letters,
plan letters, or plan or provider bulletins, as specified.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 14132.19 is added to the Welfare and
Institutions Code, to read:
   14132.19.  (a) Consistent with federal law, screening services
provided under the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and
Treatment (EPSDT) benefit pursuant to subdivision (v) of Section
14132 shall include screening for trauma  at all screenings.
  consistent with the protocols the department develops
pursuant to subdivision (c).  
   (b) A child who is removed from the custody or care of his or her
parent or legal guardian pursuant to Section 300 and following, or
Section 727, shall be assessed by the county mental health plan for
specialty mental health services.  
   (c) 
    (b)  "Trauma," as used in this section,  is
defined as any physiological response to   means the
result of  an event, series of events, or set of circumstances
that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally
harmful or  life  threatening and that has lasting
adverse effects on the individual's  functional and mental,
  functioning and  physical, social, emotional, or
spiritual well-being. 
   (d) 
    (c)  (1) The department, in consultation with the State
Department of Social Services, behavioral health experts, child
welfare experts, and stakeholders, shall adopt, employ, and develop,
as appropriate, tools and protocols for the screening of children for
trauma, consistent with existing law and this section.
   (2) Notwithstanding Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of
Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, the
department may implement, interpret, or make specific this
subdivision by means of all-county letters, plan letters, plan or
provider bulletins, or similar instructions, without taking
regulatory action.