Essential subsidy payments to behavioral health centers.

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation's one-sentence summary was slightly modified to accurately reflect that the subsidies are now permissive rather than mandatory.

Subsidy Payments for Behavioral Health Centers

This law allows the Department of Health to provide optional subsidy payments to behavioral health centers based on their service needs.

What This Bill Does

• Changes the requirement that the Department of Health must provide essential subsidy payments to behavioral health centers to a permissive action (may).
• Requires behavioral health centers to demonstrate need for operational cost assistance before receiving subsidies.
• Sets the amount of subsidy payments based on service needs demonstrated by the behavioral health center, not just population size or geographic area.
• Makes these changes effective starting July 1, 2024.

Who It Names or Affects

• Behavioral health centers that need help with operating costs to serve priority populations.
• The Department of Health which will decide if subsidy payments are needed and how much they should be.

Terms To Know

Essential subsidy payments

Money given by the government to help behavioral health centers cover their costs when providing services to people who need them most.

Priority populations

Groups of people who are at higher risk for mental or behavioral health issues and need extra support from healthcare providers.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law does not specify how much money will be available for these subsidy payments.
• It is unclear exactly which behavioral health centers will qualify for the subsidies based on their service needs.

Official Summary Text

Bill Summary - 23LSO-0302
Bill No.:

SF0008

Effective:

7/1/2024

LSO No.:

23LSO-0302

Enrolled Act No.:

SEA No. 0026

Chapter No.:

51

Prime Sponsor:

Baldwin

Catch Title:

Essential subsidy payments to behavioral health centers.

Subject:

Amends the distribution of essential subsidy payments to behavioral health centers.

Summary/Major Elements:

This act amends the distribution of essential subsidy payments to behavioral health centers. Previously, the Department of Health was required to make essential subsidy payments to these centers.

This bill makes the subsidy payments permissive rather than mandatory and provides that the payment amounts will be based on service needs as demonstrated by the behavioral health center.

Comments

This act delays its effective date to July 1, 2024.

The above summary is not an official publication of the Wyoming Legislature and is not an official statement of legislative intent.

While the Legislative Service Office endeavored to provide accurate information in this summary, it should not be relied upon as a comprehensive abstract of the bill.

Current Bill Text

23LSO-0302

ORIGINAL Senate

File No
.
SF0008

ENROLLED ACT NO. 26,

SENATE

SIXTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING
2023 General Session

AN ACT relating to public health and safety; providing that the department of health may make essential subsidy payments to behavior health centers based on service needs; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 35
‑
1
‑
620(b)(x) is amended to read:

35
‑
1
‑
620.

Powers and duties of the department and its divisions.

(b)

The department shall:

(x)

Subject to subsection (c) of this section, the priority populations tier requirements under paragraph (ix) of this subsection and in addition to other contractual payments to behavioral health centers and other service providers under this act, the department
shall
may
provide essential subsidy payments to eligible behavioral health centers, or to other eligible service providers under paragraph (vi) of this subsection, to help defer continuing operating costs needed to provide services to priority populations. A behavioral health center or other service provider under paragraph (vi) of this subsection shall be eligible to receive essential subsidy payments only upon demonstrating a need for operational cost assistance as determined by rule of the department. The amount of any essential subsidy payment shall be subject to available funding and based on
the total population of the geographic area served by the behavioral health center or other provider and the number of other
service needs as demonstrated by the
behavioral health
care providers within a thirty
‑
five (35) mile radius
center
;

Section 2
.

This act is effective July 1, 2024
.

(END)

Speaker of the House

President of the Senate

Governor

TIME APPROVED: _________

DATE APPROVED: _________

I hereby certify that this act originated in the Senate.

Chief Clerk

1