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2000 SESSION

003949756
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 218
Offered January 24, 2000
Requesting the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to establish an interagency task force to work in conjunction with consumers, families, advocates, community services boards, and private for-profit and non-profit community-based rehabilitation providers, to examine implementation of the Medicaid home-and-community-based waiver for mental retardation services.
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Patrons-- Weatherholtz, Bloxom, Christian, DeBoer, Grayson, Hall, Morgan and Thomas; Senators: Hanger, Martin and Wampler
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, the 1998 Appropriation Act required the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (DMHMRSAS) and the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) to study the "current Medicaid waiver for mental retardation services and possible changes that will lead to maximum service efficiencies and greater cost containment"; and

WHEREAS, their report, House Document 61, which was submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly on April 12, 1999, contains a number of findings and recommendations related to administration, array of services, service delivery and financial management of the mental retardation waiver; and

WHEREAS, House Document 61 recommends the formation of an interagency work group to "improve levels of understanding between the two agencies (DMHMRSAS and DMAS) and to streamline procedures for service authorization and quality monitoring"; and

WHEREAS, during the course of its work, the Joint Subcommittee to Evaluate the Future Delivery of Publicly Funded Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services (HJR 225, 1998) heard from many consumers, advocates and providers about the need to provide more flexibility in service definitions, simplify administration, and monitor quality in mental retardation waiver services; and

WHEREAS, the Joint Subcommittee recommended that the Secretary of Health and Human Resources establish an interagency task force to (i) update the understanding of roles and responsibilities, (ii) streamline procedures between DMHMRSAS and DMAS, (iii) improve service definitions to provide more flexibility and individualized supports, (iv) facilitate consumer access and choice of providers, and (v) develop a system for quality improvement and monitoring; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the Secretary of Health and Human Resources establish an interagency task force to work in conjunction with consumers, families, advocates, community services boards, and private for-profit and non-profit community-based rehabilitation providers, to examine implementation of the Medicaid home-and-community-based waiver for mental retardation services. The task force shall consider, but is not limited to, (i) clarification of the roles and responsibilities of the agencies; (2) methods to simplify administration and streamline procedures; (3) service definitions for the purpose of providing more access, choice of providers, flexibility, individualized supports and encouraging work; and (4) updating the interagency agreement.

All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Secretary of Health and Human Resources, upon request.

The Secretary of Health and Human Resources shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 2001 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents.