2006 Louisiana Laws - RS 28:382.2 — Statewide human services and accountability framework for human services delivery; development; implementation

§382.2.  Statewide human services and accountability framework for human services delivery; development; implementation

A.  The secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals shall be responsible for policy setting, development, and implementation of a statewide system to assure the provision of the delivery of mental health, developmental disabilities, and addictive disorders services funded by appropriations from the state.

(1)  The statewide human services and accountability framework plan shall be developed, implemented, and monitored through an ongoing statewide process performed by the Human Services Interagency Council to be chaired by the secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals or his or her designee.  The council shall serve as the planning, monitoring, and coordinating body for the statewide framework.  The council shall include the assistant secretaries of the Department of Health and Hospitals program offices of mental health, developmental disabilities, addictive disorders, and public health, and the executive directors of the human services districts and authorities.  The council shall establish a consumer advisory group to provide advice and input to the council in the development and implementation of the statewide human services and accountability framework.

(2)  The statewide human services and accountability framework shall be implemented through rules and regulations promulgated in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act to be effective not later than July 1, 2006, with the exception of the negotiation and signing of the annual individual agreements between the Department of Health and Hospitals and each district or authority as provided in Subsection B of this Section, which shall be completed and signed not later than September 1, 2005.  Nothing in this Section shall be construed to preclude or impede the creation of human services districts or authorities prior to implementation of the statewide human services and accountability framework.  Any new human services districts or authorities established shall conform to the ten geographical regions defined by the Department of Health and Hospitals.  A district or authority may incorporate more than one region, but regions may not be split into smaller units.

B.  The statewide human services and accountability framework shall include the creation of a statewide human services and accountability plan that sets forth the criteria, process, timelines, and guidelines for planning, monitoring, providing accountability, and provision of technical support by the Department of Health and Hospitals in the exclusive delivery of mental health, developmental disabilities, and addictive disorders services funded by appropriations from the state that are in alignment with the following:

(1)  Vision and mission for the state human services system.

(2)  Definitions of eligible and priority populations in accordance with the Department of Health and Hospitals' offices of mental health, developmental disabilities, and addictive disorders.

(3)  Definitions of basic and targeted services including the development of indicators and a monitoring plan to measure the provision of and access to these services.  Basic services are the minimum and essential services available to eligible populations in all urban and rural areas.  Targeted services are mandated specialized services available to priority populations based on the source and availability of funds.

(4)  Standards for intake and access to institutional and community services.

(5)  Formal agreements between the Department of Health and Hospitals and the human services districts and authorities relative to the use of funds appropriated annually by the legislature to implement a statewide system for addictive disorders, developmental disabilities, and mental health services.

(6)  Statewide strategies for the provision of technical assistance on best practices in service delivery.

(7)  Development and implementation of a plan for the provision of statewide monitoring of human services system performance, including the establishment of a minimum required data set of consumer-focused and systems outcome measurements required for reliable outcome measurement that use consistent definitions statewide.

(8)  Development and implementation of a plan for provision of statewide monitoring to assure quality of care and protection of consumer rights through consistent and reliable outcome measurement.

(9)  Development and implementation of a plan for submission of annual budgets that are consistent with Chapter 1 of Subtitle I of Title 39 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 and accounting requirements for funds appropriated by the state.

(10)  Development and implementation of standards for provider agreements or contracted services funded by appropriations from the state to assure compliance with the state human services plan and applicable state and federal laws, rules, regulations, and court orders and to provide remedies for correction of noncompliance and sanctions for failure to comply.

C.  Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 36:257, the secretary may reorganize Department of Health and Hospitals agencies and offices, exclusive of Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority, Capital Area Human Services District, Florida Parishes Human Services Authority, Metropolitan Human Services District, Northeast Delta Human Services Authority, and other human services districts and authorities, to support the transition of state roles and functions from direct service delivery to policy setting, monitoring, and provision of technical support of direct service delivery systems.

NOTE:  Subsection C as amended by Acts 2006, No. 449, §1, eff. upon appropriation of funds.  See Acts 2006, No. 449, §4.

C.  Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S. 36:257, the secretary may reorganize Department of Health and Hospitals agencies and offices, exclusive of Jefferson Parish Human Services Authority, Capital Area Human Services District, Florida Parishes Human Services Authority, Metropolitan Human Services District, Northeast Delta Human Services Authority, South Central Louisiana Human Services Authority, and other human services districts and authorities, to support the transition of state roles and functions from direct service delivery to policy setting, monitoring, and provision of technical support of direct service delivery systems.

D.  The secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals shall be responsible for developing a plan to establish human services districts and authorities in all regions of the state not currently included in a human services district or authority.  The plan shall phase in  the provision of community-based mental health, developmental disabilities, and addictive disorders services to the districts and authorities and shall be in accordance with the framework guidelines established in this Section.  The secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals shall make a report to the House and Senate Committees on Health and Welfare prior to the beginning of the 2007 Regular Session of the Legislature.

Acts 2005, No. 90, §1, eff. June 21, 2005; Acts 2006, No. 350, §1, eff. June 13, 2006; Acts 2006, No. 449, §1, eff. June 15, 2006; Acts 2006, No. 631, §1, eff. June 23, 2006.

NOTE:  See Acts 2006, No. 449, §4, relative to effectiveness of Act.