HB 1004 Summary

• Redesigns Mississippi's statewide system of care for children with serious emotional/behavioral disorders to reduce reliance on state-run and private institutions and expand intensive home- and community-based services.

• Requires the Interagency System of Care Council to develop a pre-screening evaluation tool to identify children who can be diverted from institutional placement and prohibits the Department of Mental Health from accepting children for institutional placement without completed pre-screen evaluation.

• Establishes an Intensive Home-Based Services Team to expand community-based services and reduce institutional commitments and beds by 30 percent by July 1, 2016 at Oak Circle Center, Bradley A. Sanders Adolescent Complex, and the Specialized Treatment Facility for the Emotionally Disturbed.

• Requires the Department of Human Services to identify youth in state facilities for 90+ days and develop individualized teams to transition them to community-based services within 90 days of commitment.

• Prohibits the Department of Human Services from using psychiatric residential treatment facilities for children who could be served in less-restrictive environments and requires community mental health centers and county field offices to conduct EPSDT screenings.