Amendment ID: S2519-42-R1
Redraft Amendment 42
Behavioral Health Workforce Commission
Messrs. Collins and Tarr, Ms. Gobi, Messrs. Welch, Tran, Feeney, Montigny and O'Connor, Ms. Rausch and Mr. Eldridge move that the proposed new draft be amended by inserting after section 57 the following section:-
“SECTION 57A. Notwithstanding any special or general law to the contrary, there shall be a special commission to review ways to increase consumer access to the behavioral health workforce. The commission shall consider: (i) workforce needs within the behavioral health field; (ii) identified behavioral health workforce shortages, including, but not limited to, shortages in inpatient and community-based settings; (iii) ways to identify barriers to mental health providers’ acceptance of commercial insurance and MassHealth, including, but not limited to, the impact of commercial insurance and MassHealth reimbursement rates and administrative processes; (iv) ways to increase and incentivize the acceptance of commercial insurance and MassHealth by behavioral health providers; (v) the feasibility of requiring acceptance of commercial insurance and MassHealth as a condition of licensure for mental health providers; (vi) recommendations and best practices proven to have the most impact on addressing behavioral health workforce shortages, including, but not limited to, the impact of current rates for behavioral health services and use of peer support groups and alternative therapeutic interventions to supplement existing interventions and pathways of care; and (vii) ways to implement the integration of peer support groups and alternative therapeutic interventions into the existing behavioral health care system.
The commission shall consist of the following members or their designees: the secretary of health and human services, who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of insurance; the assistant secretary for MassHealth; the commissioner of public health; the commissioner of the department of mental health; and the following members to be appointed by the chair, 1 of whom shall be a representative on the Massachusetts Nurses Association, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Psychiatric Society, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Psychological Association, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of the National Association of Social Workers, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of the MAAPPN Massachusetts Association of Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of The Massachusetts Medical Society, 1 of whom shall be a representative of the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Massachusetts, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of the American Nurses Association Massachusetts, Inc, 1 of whom shall be a representative of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Children’s Mental Health Campaign, 1 of whom shall be a representative of Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc., 1 of whom shall be a representative of the GPS Group Peer Support, LLC and 1 of whom shall be a representative of the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, Inc.
The commission shall submit its findings and recommendations with the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery and the joint committee on public health not later than 1 year from the effective date of this act.”.