2014 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 28 - Mental Health
RS 28:13 - Management of mental and behavioral health resources

§13. Management of mental and behavioral health resources

In the operational management of the office of behavioral health, the department may guarantee the efficient and effective use and retention of the state's scarce mental and behavioral health resources to adequately provide for the peace, health, safety, and general welfare of the public, by ensuring the following:

(1) Accountability of efficient and effective services through state-of-the-art quality and performance measures and statewide standards for monitoring quality of service and performance and reporting of quality of service and performance information. These processes may be designed so as to maximize the use of available resources for direct care of people with a mental illness and to assure uniform data collection across the state.

(2) Creation and implementation of minimum service delivery standards.

(3) Coordination of integration of services offered by department and mental and behavioral health communities, including the office of behavioral health and their respective contract providers, involved in the delivery of mental and behavioral health treatment, along with local systems and groups, public and private, such as state mental hospitals, public health organizations, parish authorities, child protection, and regional support networks, aimed at reducing duplication in service delivery and promoting complementary services among all entities that provide mental and behavioral health services to adults and children throughout the state.

(4) Implementation of a system of reimbursement by the Medical Assistance Program to private hospitals and to state hospitals for covered Medicaid services that, to the extent possible, allocates funding in the areas of the state based on needs, population, and acuity level as determined by the Department of Health and Hospitals. The above-mentioned system of reimbursement may be subject to approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

(5) Recognition of the respective regions of the department as the focal point of all mental and behavioral health planning activities, including budget submissions, grant applications, contracts, and other arrangements that can be effected at the state and regional levels.

(6) Performance by state agencies licensing and monitoring contracted providers in the most cost-efficient and effective manner with limited duplication and disruption to organizations providing services.

(7) Adequate research and evaluation regarding the effectiveness of services being provided and achievement of outcome measures.

Acts 2012, No. 506, §1.