Governor Beshear Signs House Bill 231
Press Release
Governor Steve Beshear today signed House Bill 231, a measure designed to help build the state's capacity to provide specialized psychiatric care closer to home for Kentucky children currently being served out of state.
"I would like to thank the General Assembly--particularly Representatives Jimmie Lee and Tom Burch--for working with my administration on this important bill to ensure that we are doing all we can to meet the health and behavioral health care needs of Kentucky children here in the commonwealth," said Gov. Beshear. "This bill will build the capacity necessary to bring children back home, and does it in a budget neutral fashion for the foreseeable future. But we also recognize that our work is not finished, and that we must continue to look for ways to develop community-based care alternatives, in addition to residential treatment options."
HB 231 clarifies the services that are needed in Kentucky in order to serve more than 200 children with specialized physical and psychiatric needs in-state, providing a process through which facilities licensed as private residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) and other health care facilities can apply for specialized beds devoted to meeting the needs of these children. Through the state Certificate of Need (CON) process, up to 50 beds of the required level could be located at psychiatric hospitals, acute care hospitals or PRTFs.
"House Bill 231 represents a partnership with the Governor, the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and the residential child care providers to create specialty residential treatment centers that will allow our children presently being cared for out-of-state to remain closer to their families and receive quality care commensurate with their needs," said Rep. Jimmie Lee, sponsor of House Bill 231.
The measure will allow Kentucky providers to begin serving children in-state as additional capacity is created when providers apply and are approved for the new beds. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services will also report on length of stay, discharge information and outcomes for children once they are discharged.
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