AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- JOINT COMMISSION TO STUDY WAYS TO MAXIMIZE REVENUE FOR CHILD WELFARE AND CHILDREN'S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES (Establishes a twenty-seven (27) member joint commission to study ways to maximize revenue for child welfare and children’s behavioral health services.)

H7796

2026 -- H 7796
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LC005096
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- JOINT COMMISSION TO STUDY WAYS TO
MAXIMIZE REVENUE FOR CHILD WELFARE AND CHILDREN’S BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SERVICES

Introduced By:
Representatives Tanzi, Cotter, Handy, Fogarty, Shallcross Smith, Ajello,
Donovan, Spears, J. Lombardi, and Kislak

Date Introduced:
February 12, 2026

Referred To:
House Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Legislative findings and purpose:
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(a) The General Assembly hereby finds and declares that:
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(1) The State of Rhode Island is engaged in an ongoing Medicaid/fiscal transformation
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project administered by the executive office of health and human services (“EOHHS”), with
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significant implications for children, families, and vulnerable populations.
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(2) Medicaid and related federal, state, and local funding streams are essential to sustaining
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the full continuum of care, including children’s behavioral health services, child welfare-related
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services, community-based providers, and family support systems.
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(3) Rhode Island receives federal funding through multiple mechanisms including, but not
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limited to, Medicaid state plan funding, TANF, Title IVB AND E, Maternal, Infant, and Early
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Childhood Home Visiting (“MIECHV”), Block Grants, Family First Prevention Services Act
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(FFPSA), enhanced federal matching funds, and federal grants administered across multiple state
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agencies.
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(4) State and local funds, including general revenue, play a critical role in supplementing
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federal resources, and the commission's examination shall include how federal maximization
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strategies interact with and optimize these state investments to support a continuum of care for
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children.
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(5) Coordinated legislative study and oversight are necessary to ensure that

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Medicaid/Fiscal transformation efforts maximize all available federal revenue while preserving
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access, quality, and provider stability across the continuum of care.
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(b) Purpose.
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The purpose of this act is to establish a legislative commission to study Medicaid
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transformation initiatives and to identify opportunities to maximize revenue in support of children,
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families, and the broader continuum of care.
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SECTION 2. Title 40 of the General Laws entitled "HUMAN SERVICES" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
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CHAPTER 23
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JOINT COMMISSION TO STUDY WAYS TO MAXIMIZE REVENUE FOR CHILD
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WELFARE AND CHILDREN’S BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES
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40-23-1. Establishment of the legislative commission.

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(a) There is hereby established a joint commission to study ways to maximize revenue for
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child welfare and children's behavioral health services (“the commission”).
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(b) The commission shall study:
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(1) The goals, scope, and implementation of the Medicaid transformation project;
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(2) Opportunities to maximize and better coordinate federal funding in support of
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children’s services, behavioral health, and family-serving systems across state agencies; and
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(3) Any other topics determined by the commission in furtherance of the purpose of the
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commission.
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40-23-2. Membership of the commission.

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The twenty-seven (27) members of the commission shall consist of the following members:
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(1) Legislative members.
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(i) The chairperson of the house finance committee, or designee;
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(ii) The chairperson of the senate finance committee, or designee;
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(iii) The chairperson of the house finance subcommittee on health and human services, or
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designee;
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(iv) The chairperson of the senate finance subcommittee on health and human services, or
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designee;
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(v) Two (2) members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house;
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and
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(vi) Two (2) members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate.
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(2) Executive and judicial branch members.
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(i) The Medicaid director, or designee;

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(ii) The secretary of the executive office of health and human services (“EOHHS”), or
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designee;
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(iii) The director of the department of human services (“DHS”), or designee;
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(iv) The director of the department of children, youth, and families “(DCYF”), or designee;
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(v) The director of the Rhode Island department of health (“RIDOH”), or designee;
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(vi) The commissioner of the Rhode Island department of elementary and secondary
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education (RIDE), or designee;
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(vii) The commissioner of the office of the health insurance commissioner (“OHIC”), or
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designee;
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(viii) The director of the department of labor and training (“DLT”), or designee;
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(ix) A representative of the Rhode Island family court, appointed by the chief judge of the
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court; and
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(x) The child advocate, or designee.
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(3) Provider, coalition, and expert members.
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(i) A representative of the Rhode Island coalition of children and families (“RICCF”) to be
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appointed by the coalition’s governing body;
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(ii) A representative of the community providers network of Rhode Island (CPNRI) to be
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appointed by the CPNRI executive committee;
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(iii) A representative of Leadership RI to be appointed by the chair of the board of directors;
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(iv) A representative of the Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute to be appointed
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by the institute’s governing body;
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(v) A representative of the Rhode Island College school of social work with expertise in
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children’s behavioral health to be appointed by the president of the college;
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(vi) A community based provider with expertise in juvenile justice, to be appointed by the
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speaker of the house;
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(vii) A community based provider with expertise in child welfare, to be appointed by the
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speaker of the house;
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(viii) A community based provider with expertise in children’s behavioral health, to be
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appointed by the president of the senate; and
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(ix) A community based provider with expertise in children with intellectual and
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developmental differences, to be appointed by the president of the senate.
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(c) Appointing authorities shall make appointments within thirty (30) days of the effective
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date of this chapter.
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40-23-3. Duties and scope of the commission.

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The commission shall:
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(1) Review the structure, objectives, and implementation timeline of Medicaid
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transformation in the context of maximizing financing initiatives affecting children and family-
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serving systems.
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(2) Examine how Medicaid policy changes impact:
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(i) Children’s behavioral health services;
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(ii) Child welfare–related services;
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(iii) Community-based providers; and
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(iv) Family support and prevention services.
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(3) Identify all federal funding sources supporting Medicaid and related services, including
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but not limited to:
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(i) Medicaid state plan funding;
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(ii) Section 1115, 1915(b), and 1915(c) waivers;
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(iii) Enhanced FMAP and time-limited federal funding;
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(iv) TANF, Title IVB and IVE, MICVIH; and
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(v) Federal grants administered by the department of human services, the department of
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children, youth and families, the department of health, and the department of elementary and
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secondary education.
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(4) Assess opportunities to:
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(i) Maximize federal revenue;
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(ii) Improve cross-agency coordination of federal funds;
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(iii) Reduce fragmentation or duplication; and
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(iv) Mitigate the impact of expiring or declining federal funding.
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(5) Evaluate barriers to accessing or drawing down federal funds for children’s behavioral
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health and family-serving systems.
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(6) Solicit public input through at least two (2) public hearings and consider testimony
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from stakeholders not represented on the commission.
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40-23-4. Reporting requirements.

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(a) The commission shall issue an interim report to the general assembly no later than
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January 15, 2027, summarizing preliminary findings.
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(b) The commission shall issue a final report no later than June 30, 2027, which shall
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include:
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(1) Findings and analysis;
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(2) Recommendations for statutory changes;

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(3) Budgetary and fiscal recommendations; and
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(4) Administrative or policy recommendations to maximize federal revenue and protect the
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continuum of care.
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(c) The report shall be submitted to the speaker of the house, the president of the senate,
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and the chairs of the house and senate finance committees.
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40-23-5. Administration and support.

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(a) The commission shall elect a chairperson from among the legislative members.
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(b) The executive office of health and human services shall provide staff support and data
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access as requested by the commission.
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(c) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation.
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SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- JOINT COMMISSION TO STUDY WAYS TO
MAXIMIZE REVENUE FOR CHILD WELFARE AND CHILDREN’S BEHAVIORAL
HEALTH SERVICES
***
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This act would establish a twenty-seven (27) member joint commission to study ways to
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maximize revenue for child welfare and children’s behavioral health services.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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