HB1786 Summary

• Amends the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003 by creating the Children's Mental Health Local Integrated Fund Law to establish local children's mental health collaboratives.

• Requires collaboratives to include representatives from mental health services, social services, corrections, education, health services, vocational services, and nongovernmental entities; must include at minimum one county, one school district or special education cooperative, one mental health entity, and one juvenile justice/corrections entity.

• Establishes integrated service systems that consolidate State, federal, and local funding to serve children under 18 with emotional or behavioral disturbances; allows funds to follow clients across categorical systems and reduces administrative barriers.

• Requires collaboratives to develop multiagency plans of care, maximize federal Medicaid revenues, maintain accounting systems for federal reimbursement claims, and expand operational target populations over time.

• Designates a lead county or qualified entity as fiscal agent and requires all enhanced federal revenues earned by collaboratives be used solely for mental health services or expansion of target population served.