AN ACT RELATING TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND HOSPITALS -- MENTAL HEALTH LAW (Requires the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals to publish a statewide guide to the youth behavioral health system.)

H7919

2026 -- H 7919
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LC005812
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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 BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND
HOSPITALS -- MENTAL HEALTH LAW

Introduced By:
Representatives Furtado, Casimiro, McGaw, and Alzate

Date Introduced:
February 27, 2026

Referred To:
House Health & Human Services
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 40.1-5 of the General Laws entitled "Mental Health Law" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following section:
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40.1-5-44. Youth behavioral health family navigation guide.

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(a) Establishment. The department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and
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hospitals (“the department”) shall develop, publish, and maintain a single, statewide, plain-
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language youth behavioral health family navigation guide to assist parents and legal guardians in
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understanding how to access and navigate the youth behavioral health system.
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(b) Required content. The guide shall, at a minimum, include:
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(1) Pre-diagnosis information, including:
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(i) Age-appropriate early warning signs and emotional or behavioral indicators;
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(ii) General guidance distinguishing developmentally typical behavior from indicators
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warranting professional evaluation;
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(iii) Support strategies that families may implement while awaiting evaluation or treatment,
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including emotional regulation and coping skills;
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(iv) Information describing the roles of pediatricians, schools, behavioral health providers,
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and other professionals in screening and evaluation; and
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(v) Guidance on how to discuss behavioral health concerns with a child in a
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developmentally appropriate and supportive manner.

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(2) Post-diagnosis information, including:
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(i) Descriptions of common levels of care, including inpatient, outpatient, partial
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hospitalization, crisis stabilization, and community-based services;
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(ii) Pathways for accessing care through private insurance, public insurance, and options
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available to uninsured or underinsured youth;
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(iii) General information regarding referrals, care coordination, documentation commonly
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requested for services, and basic legal rights and protections applicable to youth receiving
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behavioral health services; and
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(iv) Statewide crisis response contact information.
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(3) Crisis framework. The guide shall include a structured framework to assist families in
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assessing and responding to behavioral health crises, including:
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(i) A description of varying levels of functional impairment;
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(ii) Examples of common crisis scenarios and recommended steps;
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(iii) General guidance regarding circumstances in which access to care is delayed or denied,
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including system-capacity limitations or insurance denials; and
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(iv) Regionally specific crisis resources.
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(c) Regional resource information. The department may incorporate within the guide
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regionally specific behavioral health resource information including, but not limited to, municipal
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services, school district programs, designated community behavioral health centers, hospitals, and
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nonprofit providers. The structure, organization, and substantive framework of the guide shall
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remain uniform and under the sole authority of the department.
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(d) Distribution and updates. The department shall:
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(1) Publish the guide prominently on its website in a downloadable and printable format;
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(2) Update the guide no less than annually;
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(3) Make the guide available for distribution to pediatric healthcare providers, public and
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private schools, community behavioral health centers, nonprofit behavioral health organizations,
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and other appropriate stakeholders; and
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(4) Ensure accessibility in accordance with applicable state and federal law.
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(e) Nature of guide; limitation of liability. The guide shall be informational in nature and
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shall not constitute medical or legal advice. Nothing in this section shall be construed to create a
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private right of action against the state, the department, or any employee thereof.
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(g) Construction. Nothing in this section shall be construed to create an entitlement to
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services, to alter eligibility requirements established by law, or to expand the regulatory authority
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of the department beyond that otherwise provided by law.

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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND
HOSPITALS -- MENTAL HEALTH LAW
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This act would require the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities
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and hospitals to publish a statewide guide to the youth behavioral health system.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC005812
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LC005812 - Page 4 of 4