Budget Amendment ID: FY2022-S3-578

EHS 578

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health

Mr. DiDomenico, Ms. DiZoglio, Messrs. Tarr and O'Connor, Ms. Jehlen, Messrs. Velis, Keenan and Cyr and Ms. Comerford moved that the proposed new text be amended in section 2, in item 4513-2020, by inserting after the words "community health centers" the following words:-

", including hospital-licensed health centers,"

and by adding at the end thereof the following words:-

"and provided further, that not less than an additional $3,000,000 shall be expended for a loan repayment assistance program for the purpose of enhancing recruitment and retention of child and adolescent psychiatrists for expansion of child and adolescent inpatient services at hospitals participating in the MassHealth incentive program for new inpatient bed capacity; provided further, priority shall be given to hospitals serving a high proportion of Medicaid and low-income patients; provided further, that said loan repayment assistance program shall be administered by the executive office of health and human services or by an organization under contract with the executive office to administer the program; provided further, that to be eligible for loan repayment assistance under this item, an individual shall: (1) be certified in child and adolescent psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology or have completed a Triple Board combining pediatrics, general psychiatry, and child and adolescent psychiatry; (2) have outstanding educational debt; (3) not participate in any other loan repayment program; and (4) be required to enter into a contract with the commonwealth which shall, for not less than 5 years, obligate the individual to provide child and adolescent inpatient psychiatric services located in the commonwealth on a consistent basis, to be defined in regulation by the executive office; provided further, that loan repayment assistance shall be provided on an ongoing basis during the applicable 5-year period and the amount of the repayment assistance provided shall be up to $300,000 per eligible individual; and provided further, that the executive office shall promulgate regulations for the administration and enforcement of the loan repayment assistance program for child and adolescent psychiatrists under this item which shall include penalties and repayment procedures if a participating individual fails to comply with program requirements";

and by striking out the figure "$10,032,000" and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- "13,032,000".