SENATE BILL No. 866

 

 

September 24, 2009, Introduced by Senators BRATER, JACOBS, CLARK-COLEMAN, CLARKE, SCOTT, CHERRY, OLSHOVE, ANDERSON, BASHAM, SWITALSKI and THOMAS and referred to the Committee on Health Policy.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1974 PA 258, entitled

 

"Mental health code,"

 

by amending sections 116, 232a, and 232b (MCL 330.1116, 330.1232a,

 

and 330.1232b), section 116 as amended by 1998 PA 67, section 232a

 

as added by 1995 PA 290, and section 232b as added by 2002 PA 597.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 116. (1) Consistent with section 51 of article IV of the

 

state constitution of 1963, which declares that the health of the

 

people of the state is a matter of primary public concern, and as

 

required by section 8 of article VIII of the state constitution of

 

1963, which declares that services for the care, treatment,

 

education, or rehabilitation of those who are seriously mentally

 

disabled shall always be fostered and supported, the department


 

shall continually and diligently endeavor to ensure that adequate

 

and appropriate mental health services are available to all

 

citizens throughout the state. To this end, the department shall

 

have has the general powers and duties described in this section.

 

     (2) The department shall do all of the following:

 

     (a) Direct services to individuals who have a serious mental

 

illness, developmental disability, or serious emotional

 

disturbance. The department shall give priority to the following

 

services:

 

     (i) Services for individuals with the most severe forms of

 

serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, or

 

developmental disability.

 

     (ii) Services for individuals with serious mental illness,

 

serious emotional disturbance, or developmental disability who are

 

in urgent or emergency situations.

 

     (b) Administer the provisions of chapter 2 so as to promote

 

and maintain an adequate and appropriate system of community mental

 

health services programs throughout the state. In the

 

administration of chapter 2, it shall be the objective of the

 

department to shift primary responsibility for the direct delivery

 

of public mental health services from the state to a community

 

mental health services program whenever the community mental health

 

services program has demonstrated a willingness and capacity to

 

provide do both of the following:

 

     (i) Provide an adequate and appropriate system of mental health

 

services for the citizens of that service area.

 

     (ii) Comply with regulatory requirements of the department.


 

     (c) Engage in planning for the purpose of identifying,

 

assessing, and enunciating the mental health needs of the state.

 

     (d) Submit to the members of the house and senate standing

 

committees and appropriation subcommittees with legislative

 

oversight of mental health matters an annual report summarizing its

 

assessment of the mental health needs of the state and

 

incorporating information received from community mental health

 

services programs under section 226. The report shall include an

 

estimate of the cost of meeting all identified needs. Additional

 

information shall be made available to the legislature upon

 

request.

 

     (e) Endeavor to develop and establish arrangements and

 

procedures for the effective coordination and integration of all

 

public mental health services, and for effective cooperation

 

between public and nonpublic services, for the purpose of providing

 

a unified system of statewide mental health care.

 

     (f) Review and evaluate the relevance, quality, effectiveness,

 

and efficiency of mental health services being provided by the

 

department and assure the review and evaluation of mental health

 

services provided by community mental health services programs. The

 

department shall establish and implement a structured system to

 

provide data necessary for the reviews and evaluations.

 

     (g) Implement those provisions of law under which it is

 

responsible for the licensing or certification of mental health

 

facilities or services.

 

     (h) Establish standards of training and experience for

 

executive directors of community mental health services programs.


 

     (i) Support research activities.

 

     (j) Support evaluation and quality improvement activities.

 

     (k) Support training, consultation, and technical assistance

 

regarding mental health programs and services and appropriate

 

prevention and mental health promotion activities, including those

 

that are culturally sensitive, to employees of the department,

 

community mental health services programs, and other nonprofit

 

agencies providing mental health services under contract with

 

community mental health services programs.

 

     (l) Support multicultural services.

 

     (3) The department may do all of the following:

 

     (a) Direct services to individuals who have mental disorders

 

that meet diagnostic criteria specified in the most recent

 

diagnostic and statistical manual of mental health disorders

 

published by the American psychiatric association and approved by

 

the department and to the prevention of mental disability and the

 

promotion of mental health. Resources that have been specifically

 

appropriated for services to individuals with dementia, alcoholism,

 

or substance abuse, or for the prevention of mental disability and

 

the promotion of mental health shall be utilized for those specific

 

purposes.

 

     (b) Provide, on a residential or nonresidential basis, any

 

type of patient or client service including but not limited to

 

prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care, education, training, and

 

rehabilitation.

 

     (c) Operate mental health programs or facilities directly or

 

through contractual arrangement.


 

     (d) Institute pilot projects considered appropriate by the

 

director to test new models and concepts in service delivery or

 

mental health administration. Pilot projects may include, but need

 

not be limited to, both of the following:

 

     (i) Issuance of a voucher to a recipient of public mental

 

health services in accordance with the recipient's individual plan

 

of services and guidelines developed by the department.

 

     (ii) Establishment of revolving loans to assist recipients of

 

public mental health services to acquire or maintain affordable

 

housing. Funding under this subparagraph shall only be provided

 

through an agreement with a nonprofit fiduciary in accordance with

 

guidelines and procedures developed by the department related to

 

the use, issuance, and accountability of revolving loans used for

 

recipient housing.

 

     (e) Enter into an agreement, contract, or arrangement with any

 

individual or public or nonpublic entity that is necessary or

 

appropriate to fulfill those duties or exercise those powers that

 

have by statute been given to the department.

 

     (f) Accept gifts, grants, bequests, and other donations for

 

use in performing its functions. Any money or property accepted

 

shall be used as directed by its donor and in accordance with law

 

and the rules and procedures of the department.

 

     (g) The department has any other power necessary or

 

appropriate to fulfill those duties and exercise those powers that

 

have been given to the department by law and that are not otherwise

 

prohibited by law.

 

     Sec. 232a. (1) Subject to section 114a, the department shall


 

promulgate rules to establish standards for certification and the

 

certification review process for community mental health services

 

programs. The standards shall include but not be limited to all of

 

the following:

 

     (a) Matters of governance, resource management, quality

 

improvement, service delivery, and safety management.

 

     (b) Promotion and protection of recipient rights.

 

     (2) After reviewing a community mental health services

 

program, the department shall notify a program that substantially

 

complies with the standards established under this section that it

 

is certified by the department.

 

     (3) The department may waive the certification review process

 

in whole or in part and consider the community mental health

 

services program to be in substantial compliance with the standards

 

established under this section if the program has received

 

accreditation from a national accrediting organization recognized

 

by the department that includes review of matters described in

 

subsection (1)(a).

 

     (4) If the department certifies a community mental health

 

services program despite some items of noncompliance with the

 

standards established under this section, the notice of

 

certification shall identify the items of noncompliance and the

 

program shall correct the items of noncompliance. The department

 

shall require the community mental health board to submit a plan to

 

correct items of noncompliance before recertification or sooner at

 

the discretion of the department.

 

     (5) Certification is effective for 3 years and is not


 

transferable. Requests for recertification shall be submitted to

 

the department at least 6 months before the expiration of

 

certification. Certification remains in effect after the submission

 

of a renewal request until the department conducts a review and

 

makes a redetermination.

 

     (6) The department shall conduct an annual review of each

 

community mental health services program's recipient rights system

 

to ensure compliance with standards established under subsection

 

(1)(b). An on-site review shall be conducted once every 3 years.

 

     (7) The community mental health services program shall

 

promptly notify the department of any changes that may affect

 

continued certification.

 

     (8) The department may deny certification if the community

 

mental health services program cannot demonstrate substantial

 

compliance with the standards established under this section.

 

     (9) In lieu of denying certification, the department may issue

 

a provisional certification for a period of up to 6 months upon

 

receiving a plan of correction submitted by the community mental

 

health services board. The department shall provide a copy of the

 

review and the approved plan of correction to the board of

 

commissioners of each county that established the county community

 

mental health agency or created the community mental health

 

organization or community mental health authority. A provisional

 

certification may be extended, but the entire provisional period

 

shall not exceed 1 year. The department shall conduct an on-site

 

review to determine the community mental health services program's

 

compliance with the plan of correction at least 30 days before the


 

expiration of the provisional certification. A provisional

 

certification automatically expires either on its original

 

expiration date or the expiration date of the extension granted.

 

     (10) If a community mental health services program is denied

 

certification, fails to comply with an approved plan of correction

 

before the expiration of a provisional certification, or fails to

 

comply substantially with the standards established under this

 

section, the department shall notify the community mental health

 

services board and the board of commissioners of each county that

 

established the agency or created the organization or authority of

 

the department's intention to suspend, deny, or revoke

 

certification. The notice shall be sent by certified mail and shall

 

set forth the particular reasons for the proposed action and offer

 

an opportunity for a hearing with the director of the department's

 

division that manages contracts with community mental health

 

services programs. If it desires a hearing, the community mental

 

health services board shall request it in writing within 60 days

 

after receipt of the notice. The department shall hold the hearing

 

not less than 30 days or more than 60 days from the date it

 

receives the request for a hearing.

 

     (11) The director of the department's division that manages

 

contracts with community mental health services programs shall make

 

a decision regarding suspension, denial, or revocation of

 

certification based on evidence presented at the hearing or on the

 

default of the community mental health services board. A copy of

 

the decision shall be sent by certified mail within 45 days after

 

the close of the hearing to the community mental health services


 

board and to the board of commissioners of each county that

 

established the agency or created the organization or authority.

 

     (12) A community mental health services board may appeal a

 

decision made under subsection (11) as provided in chapter 4 of the

 

administrative procedures act of 1969, Act No. 306 of the Public

 

Acts of 1969, being sections 24.271 to 24.287 of the Michigan

 

Compiled Laws 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.271 to 24.287.

 

     (13) During the period of certification, the department may

 

conduct an unannounced review of a certified community mental

 

health services program. The department shall conduct an

 

unannounced review of a certified community mental health services

 

program in response to information that raises questions regarding

 

recipient health or safety. If the department finds based on its

 

review that the community mental health services program does not

 

substantially comply with the standards established under this

 

section, the department shall provide notice and a hearing under

 

subsections (10) and (11).

 

     (14) During the appeal process described in this section, the

 

department may direct a community mental health services program to

 

take remedial action regarding issues that led to the department's

 

notice of noncompliance with standards. If the community mental

 

health services program does not adhere to the department's

 

direction under this subsection, the department may place the

 

administration of the community mental health services program or,

 

if recipient rights represent the area of contention, its recipient

 

rights office, under receivership with any expense necessary for

 

the receivership to be taken from the department's appropriation to


 

the community mental health services program.

 

     (15) (14) If a community mental health services program fails

 

to obtain or retain certification as a result of the department's

 

review, has exhausted the time period for provisional

 

certification, is not engaged in the process of appeal or appeal

 

has been unsuccessful, and if no agreement has been reached by the

 

department with the community mental health services program to

 

assure certification compliance within a specified time period, the

 

department shall within 90 days do both either of the following:

 

     (a) Cancel the state funding commitment to the community

 

mental health services board.

 

     (b) Utilize the funds previously provided to the community

 

mental health services board to do 1 or more of the following:

 

     (a) Continue the state funding commitment to the community

 

mental health services program while placing it under receivership

 

until replacements are procured for any or all of the following

 

positions within the community mental health services program:

 

     (i) Board members.

 

     (ii) Executive director.

 

     (iii) Medical director.

 

     (iv) Recipient rights director.

 

     (b) Cancel the state funding commitment to the community

 

mental health services program and utilize the funds previously

 

provided to the community mental health services program to do 1 or

 

more of the following:

 

     (i) Secure services from other providers of mental health

 

services that the department has determined can operate in


 

substantial compliance with the standards established under this

 

section and continue the delivery of services within the county or

 

counties.

 

     (ii) Provide the service.

 

     (16) (15) If state funding is canceled under subsection (14)

 

(15) and the community mental health services program is an

 

authority created under section 205, the county or counties that

 

created the authority are financially liable only for the local

 

match formula established for the authority under chapter 3. If

 

state funding is canceled under subsection (14) (15) and the

 

community mental health services program is a county community

 

mental health agency or a community mental health organization, the

 

county or counties that established the agency are financially

 

liable for local match for all services contractually or directly

 

provided by the department to residents of the county or counties

 

in accordance with chapter 3.

 

     (17) (16) The department shall not utilize the certification

 

process under this section to require a community mental health

 

services program to become a community mental health authority.

 

Community mental health authority status is voluntary as provided

 

in section 205.

 

     (17) Subject to section 114a, the department shall submit

 

proposed rules for certification to public hearing within 6 months

 

after the effective date of the amendatory act that added this

 

section.

 

     Sec. 232b. (1) The department shall establish standards for

 

community mental health services programs designated as specialty


 

prepaid health plans under the medicaid managed care program

 

described in section 109f of the social welfare act, 1939 PA 280,

 

MCL 400.109f. The standards established under this section shall

 

reference applicable federal regulations related to medicaid

 

managed care programs and specify additional state requirements for

 

specialty prepaid health plans. The standards established under

 

this section shall be published in a departmental bulletin or by an

 

updating insert to a departmental manual.

 

     (2) As a condition for contracting and for receiving payment

 

under the medicaid managed care program, a community mental health

 

services program designated as a specialty prepaid health plan

 

shall certify both of the following:

 

     (a) That the program is in substantial compliance with the

 

standards promulgated by the department and with applicable federal

 

regulations.

 

     (b) That the program has established policies and procedures

 

to monitor compliance with the standards promulgated by the

 

department and with applicable federal regulations and to ensure

 

program integrity.

 

     (3) The department shall conduct an annual review of all

 

community mental health services programs designated as specialty

 

prepaid health plans to verify the declarations made by the

 

community mental health services program and to monitor compliance

 

with the standards promulgated for specialty prepaid health plans

 

and with applicable federal regulations. The annual review process

 

established under this section shall be published in a departmental

 

bulletin or by an updating insert to a departmental manual.


 

     (4) The department may conduct separate reviews of a specialty

 

prepaid health plan in response to beneficiary complaints,

 

financial status considerations, or health and safety concerns.

 

     (5) Contracts with specialty prepaid health plans shall

 

indicate the sanctions that the department may invoke if it makes a

 

determination that a specialty prepaid health plan is not in

 

substantial compliance with promulgated standards and with

 

established federal regulations, that the specialty prepaid health

 

plan has misrepresented or falsified information reported to the

 

state or to the federal government, or that the specialty prepaid

 

health plan has failed substantially to provide necessary covered

 

services to recipients under the terms of the contract. Sanctions

 

may include intermediate involve actions including, but not limited

 

to, a monetary penalty imposed on the administrative, and

 

management, or other operation of the specialty prepaid health

 

plan, imposition of temporary receivership or state management of a

 

community mental health services program operating as a specialty

 

prepaid health plan, or termination of the department's medicaid

 

managed care contract with the community mental health services

 

program.

 

     (6) Before When imposing a sanction on a community mental

 

health services program that is operating as a specialty prepaid

 

health plan, the department shall provide that specialty prepaid

 

health plan with timely written notice that explains both of the

 

following:

 

     (a) The basis and nature of the sanction.

 

     (b) The opportunity for a hearing to contest or dispute the


 

department's findings and intended sanction, prior to before the

 

imposition of the sanction. A hearing under this section is subject

 

to the provisions governing a contested case under the

 

administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to

 

24.328, unless otherwise agreed to in the specialty prepaid health

 

plan contract. The period during which an appeal has been filed and

 

not yet resolved shall be governed by the provisions of section

 

232a(14).