Behavioral health/schools

AN ACT Relating to providing access to behavioral health services 1
to children using licensed clinicians colocated within the school; 2
adding a new section to chapter 71.24 RCW; and creating a new 3
section. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. Throughout Washington state, there is a 6
growing need for behavioral health services for children and youth, a 7
crisis made worse by limited service capacity, especially in rural 8
areas. This need is acute in less populated regions where many 9
students come from families of limited means and a high proportion of 10
children's health insurance is delivered through the state medicaid 11
program. Providing behavioral health services in schools is an 12
innovative practice and an efficient method to reach children in need 13
who are often unable to access services due to time, distance, and 14
transportation barriers. Providing services in schools helps 15
establish a more comprehensive integrated framework for support with 16
school staff, reduces the stigma of having behavioral health services 17
in school rather than in a clinical setting, and dramatically 18
increases the attendance rate for medicaid-based services. Many 19
children who do not receive behavioral health services in schools do 20
not get these services. Barriers to engaging children in a timely and 21
S-0813.1
SENATE BILL 5481
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators J. Wilson, Chapman, Hasegawa, and Krishnadasan
Read first time 01/24/25. Referred to Committee on Human Services.
p. 1 SB 5481
accessible manner create missed opportunities which are costly for 1
families and increase risks of rapid decompensation that can affect 2
whole communities. We must do our part to remove barriers to 3
treatment to ensure that the health and wellness of each child, in 4
each of our schools, is supported, prioritized, and comprehended.5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 71.24 6
RCW to read as follows: 7
A managed care organization shall provide reimbursement for 8
medically necessary behavioral health services provided within a 9
school by a licensed or certified behavioral health agency to a 10
student within that school who is enrolled in the medicaid program, 11
regardless of whether the behavioral health agency is within the 12
network of the managed care organization, unless the managed care 13
organization provides equivalent services colocated within the school 14
which are available to the child using in-network providers.15
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p. 2 SB 5481