,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ddih  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #bc1     
#bjbb,mr4 ,casey introduced the         
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on ,finance 
,a ,,bill  ,to expand the availability  
of mental1 emotional1 and behavioral    
health services under the ,medicaid     
program1 and for other purposes4  #a4   
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,kids' ,mental ,health ,improvement 
,act4  #b4 ,table of contents ,the table
 of contents for this ,act is as        
follows3 ,sec4 #a4 ,short title4,sec4   
#b4 ,table of contents4,sec4 #c4        
,guidance to ,states on supporting      
mental1 emotional1 and behavioral health
 services1 and on the availability of   
telehealth under ,medicaid4,sec4 #d4    
,ensuring children receive timely access
 to care4  #c4 ,guidance to ,states on  
supporting mental1 emotional1 and       
behavioral health services1 and on the  
availability of telehealth under        

,medicaid  7a7 ,mental1 emotional1 and  
behavioral health services ,not later   
than #a year after the date of enactment
 of this ,act1 the ,secretary of ,health
 and ,human ,services shall issue       
guidance to ,states on how to expand the
 provision of mental1 emotional1 and    
behavioral health services covered by   
,state plans 7or waivers of such plans7 
under title ,,xix of the ,social        
,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif et  
seq471 including a description of best  
practices for effective programs1       
service provision for underserved       
communities1 recruitment and retention  
of providers1 and supporting the        
delivery of such services in schools and
 other community settings4  7b7         
,telehealth services ,not later than #a 
year after the date of enactment of this
 ,act1 the ,secretary of ,health and    
,human ,services shall issue guidance to
 ,states on best practices to sustain   
and enhance the availability of         
telehealth services covered by ,state   

plans 7or waivers of such plans7 under  
title ,,xix of the ,social ,security    
,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #acif et seq474  #d4
 ,ensuring children receive timely      
access to care  7a7 ,guidance to ,states
 on flexibilities to ensure provider    
capacity ,to provide pediatric mental1  
emotional1 and behavioral crisis care   
,not later than #a year after the date  
of enactment of this ,act1 the          
,secretary of ,health and ,human        
,services shall provide guidance to     
,states on existing flexibilities for   
hospitals and other providers under     
applicable laws1 regulations1 and       
guidance to support children in crisis  
or in need of intensive mental1         
emotional or behavioral health services4
  7b7 ,mandated report to ,congress     
regarding barriers to repurposing of    
beds1 space1 and staff ,to address      
pediatric behavioral health needs  7#a7 
,in general ,not later than #abj days   
after the date of enactment of this     
,act1 the ,secretary of ,health and     

,human ,services shall submit to the    
,congress a report with respect to      
regulatory and legal barriers to care   
across the crisis continuum that        
identifies solutions to facilitate      
flexibility for children's hospitals and
 other providers of mental1 emotional1  
or behavioral health services4  7#b7    
,requirements ,in preparing a report    
under this subsection1 the ,secretary of
 ,health and ,human ,services shall     
include in such report-- 7,a7 a         
comprehensive list of laws1 regulations1
 and guidance impacting children's      
hospitals' and other providers' ability 
to repurpose immediately beds1 space1   
and staff for children in need of       
mental1 emotional1 or behavioral health 
services1 including a description of the
 rationale for each policy and          
corresponding actions required to       
repurpose such beds1 space1 and staff2  
and  7,b7 recommendations on how        
children's hospitals and other providers
 can immediately expand access to       

mental1 emotional1 and behavioral health
 services while also ensuring high      
quality and safety4  7c7 ,ensuring      
consistent review and ,state            
implementation of early and periodic    
screening1 diagnostic1 and treatment    
services ,section #aije7r7 of the       
,social ,security ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4   
#acif;d7r77 is amended by adding at the 
end the following3 ,the ,secretary      
shall1 not later than ,july #a1 #bjbb1  
and not later than ,january #a each year
 thereafter1 review implementation of   
the requirements of this subsection by  
,states as they pertain to behavioral   
health services for children1 including 
services provided by a managed care     
entity1 identify and disseminate best   
practices for ensuring comprehensive    
coverage of services1 identify gaps and 
deficiencies in meeting ,federal        
requirements1 and provide guidance to   
,states on addressing identified gaps   
and disparities and meeting ,federal    
coverage requirements in order to ensure

 children1 including children without a 
mental health diagnosis1 have access to 
behavioral health services44