SB2951 - Early Mental Health and Addictions Treatment Act

• Establishes a Medicaid pilot program for early mental health treatment of adolescents and young adults ages 16-26 with serious emotional disturbance or serious mental illness, without requiring demonstration of disability or functional impairment for eligibility.

• Creates youth-focused community support teams providing evidence-based services including psychotherapy, medication management, family support, case management, and supported education/employment, delivered flexibly in-office, in-home, and in-community settings.

• Department of Healthcare and Family Services must submit federal waiver or State Plan amendment application by September 30, 2019, with implementation by December 31, 2019 if federal approval not required, using a pay-for-performance payment model instead of fee-for-service.

• Establishes a separate Medicaid pilot program for assertive engagement and community-based treatment of individuals with opioid and other drug addictions, including case management, in-home/community clinical treatment, and recovery support services with seamless re-engagement for those with short disengagements.

• Requires comprehensive data collection and evaluation by third-party partners at 5 years, with final reports to General Assembly after 4 and 7 years of implementation measuring hospitalization, homelessness, criminal justice involvement, employment, education outcomes, and cost savings.