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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The State of Illinois provides mental health
3 services to Medicaid recipients under rules established by the
4 Department of Human Services and the Department of Public Aid;
5 and
 
6     WHEREAS, Many Medicaid mental health recipients do not
7 require treatment from a physician or the extensive services
8 provided by a certified mental health clinic; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Persons who receive mental health services may be
10 more productive citizens, able to contribute to the economy of
11 the State; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Social workers provide the majority of mental
13 health services in the country and the State; and licensed
14 clinical social workers (LCSWs) are approved providers under
15 the Illinois Insurance Code; and
 
16     WHEREAS, Federal law allows, and many other states provide,
17 reimbursement for social work services in all settings; this
18 has been found to be cost efficient; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The rules established by the Department of Human
20 Services and the Department of Public Aid restrict the
21 providers and settings available to Medicaid recipients,
22 preventing many LCSWs and agencies that employ them from being
23 reimbursed for their services; and
 
24     WHEREAS, The Illinois rules have the effect of restricting
25 the recipient's choice of provider, placing a hardship on
26 agencies that provide services but are not Medicaid certified,
27 and may increase the State's cost for treatment; and
 
28     WHEREAS, The Illinois House of Representatives has 3 times

 

 

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1 passed a bill directing that LCSWs be reimbursed for Medicaid
2 treatment provided in all settings; therefore, be it
 
3     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
4 NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
5 there is hereby established a Social Worker Medicaid
6 Reimbursement Task Force to study the benefits of including
7 LCSWs in all settings as Medicaid mental health providers; the
8 task force shall also develop a methodology for calculating the
9 fiscal impact of this change in policy and a plan to implement
10 these services on at least a pilot basis, starting with mental
11 health services for Medicaid and KidCare eligible children; and
12 be it further
 
13     RESOLVED, That the task force shall consist of 18 members:
14 (1) one member from each of the following State agencies: the
15 Illinois Department of Public Aid or its successor agency, the
16 Illinois Department of Human Services, the Illinois State Board
17 of Education, and the Illinois Department of Children and
18 Family Services; the Director of the Illinois Department of
19 Public Aid (or its successor agency) and the Secretary of the
20 Illinois Department of Human Services or their designees shall
21 co-chair the task force; (2) the remaining task force members
22 shall come from the stakeholder and recipient communities: one
23 Medicaid recipient, familiar with mental health treatment in
24 Illinois; 2 members from the National Association of Social
25 Workers (NASW) Illinois Chapter; one member from an association
26 representing LCSWs exclusively; one member from the Illinois
27 Social Work Licensing and Disciplinary Board; one member from
28 an association representing school social workers; one member
29 from an association representing community based mental health
30 agencies; one member from an association representing private
31 child welfare agencies; 3 representatives from community based
32 neighborhood or family service agencies or associations, not
33 collecting Medicaid (one of these shall be from a community
34 agency serving predominantly a Hispanic population, and one

 

 

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1 from a community agency serving primarily an African American
2 population); 2 members from organizations that advocate for
3 young children; and one member from the Children's Mental
4 Health Partnership; and be it further
 
5     RESOLVED, That the Social Worker Medicaid Reimbursement
6 Task Force shall present a report of its findings to the
7 General Assembly by March 1, 2006; and be it further
 
8     RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution shall be delivered
9 to the Secretary of Human Services and the Director of the
10 Department of Public Aid.