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Panel backs certification office for community behavioral health clinics, with funding and governance questions
Summary
HB 1854 to create a Department of Health office to certify community behavioral health clinics advanced with amendments to meet SAMHSA standards; DOH asked to remove a proposed special fund and move startup costs to report language while clarifying membership counts and certification duties.
The House Committee on Health advanced HB 1854 on Feb. 11 after testimony from the Department of Health and other stakeholders that the measure would help clinics qualify for enhanced Medicaid reimbursements and expand behavioral‑health services statewide.
Courtney Monsey, deputy director of the DOH Behavioral Health Administration, said certification is necessary for clinics to become eligible for higher Medicaid reimbursements and to improve financial sustainability for providers. She told lawmakers the CCBH model offers comprehensive services including crisis care, case management and psychiatric rehabilitation, and that implementing a certification process would provide the infrastructure to expand the model across the state.
Deputy Attorney General Michelle Exelda noted in written comments that the bill does not explain how a special fund would meet requirements under HRS section 37‑52.3 and recommended adding a purpose section. DOH told the committee that the startup amount requested—primarily to staff the new office and cover auditing travel—was $800,000 but proposed deleting creation of a special fund and moving that funding into report language; DOH also suggested amending membership counts if language referencing “populated county” is adopted.
Committee members accepted DOH‑proposed clarifying edits, removed the special fund language and advanced the bill as a house draft with the expectation that DOH will refine certification standards to align with federal CMS demonstration and SAMHSA guidance where applicable.
DOH said there are currently a small number of clinics operating like a CCBH model and that state designation as a CMS demonstration would be a necessary step before formal certification could begin.
