Assigned to FS & APPROP                                                                                             AS PASSED BY THE SENATE

 

 

 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

VETOED

 

FINAL REVISED

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1348

 

child support; omnibus

(NOW:  behavioral health; accountability)

 

Purpose

 

            Establishes a legislative oversight committee on the adequacy and availability of behavioral health services through the Department of Health Services (DHS).

 

Background

 

DHS contracts with regional behavioral health authorities for behavioral health treatment to eligible clients.  Mental and behavioral health professionals are regulated by the regulatory boards of their respective fields.  S.B. 1348 creates a 12-member task force to review the availability and adequacy of mental health services in Arizona.  The bill charges the task force with ongoing oversight of DHS/BHS, to assess the effectiveness of their funding acquisition and prioritization efforts to ensure that a five-year strategy is developed.  The task force must require DHS/BHS to conduct specified needs assessments and ensure that all concerns and grievances identified by state audits, legislative reports, reports from court monitors, individuals, advocacy groups and providers are addressed by DHS/BHS.

 

Provisions

 

1.      Establishes a task force on behavioral health accountability, with membership of:

 

a)      Three senators appointed by the President of the Senate, from both parties.

b)      Three representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, from both parties.

c)      Four licensed behavioral health providers, two each appointed by the President and the Speaker.

d)      Two behavioral health services consumers, one each appointed by the president and the Speaker.

 

2.      Charges the task force to:

 

a)      Provide ongoing oversight of DHS oversight of adequacy and availability of statewide behavioral health services.

b)      Gather input from regional behavioral health authorities, behavioral health providers, consumers, Indian communities and municipalities.

c)      Ensure that DHS incorporate information gathered by the task force into a five-year strategy to improve service delivery.

d)      Assess effectiveness of DHS funding acquisition, prioritization, use, distribution and impact evaluation.

e)      Require DHS to conduct annual needs assessment.

f)        Ensure that DHS addresses concerns identified by state audits, legislative reports, court monitor reports, individual consumers, advocacy groups and providers.

 

3.      Requires an annual report on November 15 to the Governor, the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, the Chairmen of the Senate and House Health Committees, the Auditor General and the Chairman of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee.

 

4.      Provides for a general effective date and a repeal date of July 1, 2005.

 

Amendments Adopted by Family Services Committee

 

1.      Removes reference to child support and domestic relations committees.

 

Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole

 

1.      Allows the court to suspend accrual of interest on child support arrearages during periods of incarceration or incapacitation.

 

2.      If S.B. 1366 is not enacted, provides for continuation of the committee.

 

Amendments Adopted by the House of Representatives

 

1.      Adopted a strike everything amendment to establish a task force on behavioral health accountability.

 

Senate Action                                                               House Action

 

FS                    2/2/00              DPA    7-0-0-0                        HS                   3/9/00    DPA/SE   4-1-1-0

APPROP         2/9/00              DP       14-0-0-0          3rd Read           3/27/00                   31-27-2-0

3rd Read           3/1/00                          29-0-1-0

Final Read        4/4/00                          27-2-1-0

 

Vetoed by Governor 4/11/00

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

May 12, 2000