Section 150 Behavioral Health Access and Crisis Intervention Trust Fund 5
Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the health policy commission, in collaboration with the executive office of health and human services and the center for health information and analysis, shall conduct an analysis and report on the use of the behavioral health access line and behavioral health crisis intervention services as described in section 2WWWWW of chapter 29 of the General Laws, which shall include an evaluation of and recommendations for developing an equitable and sustainable funding mechanism for the behavioral health access line and behavioral health crisis intervention services 24 hours per day and 7 days per week available to all residents without regard to insurance.
The report shall include: (i) an analysis of the use of the behavioral health access line and behavioral health crisis intervention services by payer, including public and private payers, by insurance status, including the uninsured, and by aggregate patient demographics, including age, diagnosis and geographic region; (ii) the number of referrals, both direct and indirect, made by the behavioral health access line to a health care provider by provider type; (iii) the average length of interaction with a patient on the behavioral health access line; (iv) the average length of stay or interaction with the behavioral health crisis intervention services, including whether patients were admitted for care or referred to a new care setting following discharge; (v) the impact of the behavioral health access line and behavioral health crisis intervention services on emergency department wait times and utilization of inpatient psychiatric services by geographic region; (vi) any barriers to accessing the behavioral health access line and behavioral health crisis intervention services; (vii) an analysis of the use of the federally-designated 988 suicide prevention hotline including, but not limited to, call volume, abandoned call rate and number of referrals to other services by service type; (viii) recommendations on ways to expand access to the behavioral health access line and behavioral health crisis intervention services; (ix) an analysis and breakdown of the total annual cost of providing the behavioral health access line and behavioral health crisis intervention services 24 hours per day and 7 days per week, available to all residents without regard to insurance; (x) an examination of potential funding mechanisms for sustaining the behavioral health access line and behavioral health crisis intervention services including, but not limited to, the behavioral health payor surcharge described in section 69A of chapter 118E of the General Laws, the General Fund, the Health Safety Net Trust Fund established in section 66 of said chapter 118E, an assessment on surcharge payors, any funds distributed through the federal 988 program and a surcharge on cell phone usage; and (xi) recommendations for an equitable and sustainable funding mechanism for the behavioral health access line and behavioral health crisis intervention services that takes into account utilization of such services by payer type and insurance status.
In developing the report, the commission shall seek input from relevant state agencies, the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, Inc., Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Massachusetts, Inc., the Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc., the Association for Behavioral Healthcare, Inc., the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, Inc., the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, Inc., health care providers and payers, patients and any other interested stakeholder.
The commission shall submit its report and recommendations to the clerks of the senate and house of representatives, the senate and house committees on ways and means, the joint committee on health care financing and the joint committee on mental health, substance use and recovery not later than January 15, 2025.