Text to be removed highlighted in red.
1 Medicaid to Schools Program; Parental Consent Required. Amend RSA 186-C:25, VII to read as follows:
VII. Beginning on September 1, 2018, the commissioner of the department of health and human services shall submit an annual report to the senate president, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the chairpersons of the house and senate finance committees regarding the total cost of the Medicaid to schools program and the number of students who received services through the program during the prior school year.
2 School Health Services; Consent of Parent or Legal Guardian Required. Amend RSA 200:27-a to read as follows:
200:27-a Consent of Parent or Legal Guardian Required. A child's participation in any program that provides medical or dental treatment in any school setting shall require the explicit written consent of the child's parent or legal guardian .
3 Department of Health and Human Services; Recruitment and Retention Program; Pilot.
I. The general court finds that the recruitment and retention of employees within the department of health and human services is necessary to maintaining a strong and vital workforce within the array of critical service deliveries within its jurisdiction including those administered through the department's division for children, youth and families and Hampstead hospital residential treatment facility (HHRTF). The intent of this act is to proactively address vacancy rates, fluctuations experienced in census populations, acuity of care and reliance on contracted staff at the current Sununu youth services center (SYSC) and at the secured treatment facility to replace SYSC and at HHRTF.
II. The department shall establish a pilot recruitment and retention program. The program may include:
(a) Any recruitment or retention incentives received by a department employee pursuant to this paragraph shall not be considered gifts under RSA 15-B.
(b) Any expenditures made for recruitment or retention incentives pursuant to this paragraph shall be considered a matter of legislatively enacted public policy that is designed to benefit certain department employees and the state, and that is confined exclusively to the public employer by statute as provided in RSA 273-A:1, XI, and which shall not be subject to collective bargaining. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to invalidate any portion of a collective bargaining agreement entered into by the state.
III. On or before December 31, 2024, the department shall provide a report on the effectiveness of the pilot established in paragraph II for possible inclusion in the state operating budget for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, to the senate health and human services committee, the house health, human services and elderly affairs committee, the senate and house finance committees, the senate president, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the governor.
4 Repeal. Section 3 of this act, relative to a pilot recruitment and retention program within the department of health and human services, is repealed.
5 Effective Date.
I. Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2025.
II. Section 4 of this act shall take effect September 15, 2025.
III. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
Text to be added highlighted in green.
1 Medicaid to Schools Program; Parental Consent Required. Amend RSA 186-C:25, VII to read as follows:
VII. Beginning on September 1, 2018, the commissioner of the department of health and human services shall submit an annual report to the senate president, the speaker of the house of representatives, the chairpersons of the house and senate policy committees with jurisdiction over education, the chairpersons of the house and senate policy committees with jurisdiction over health and human services, and the chairpersons of the house and senate finance committees regarding the total cost of the Medicaid to schools program and the number of students who received services through the program during the prior school year.
VIII. Written parental consent shall be obtained for each new service provided to a Medicaid enrolled child pursuant to RSA 200:27-a. For the purpose of this paragraph and RSA 200:27-a, each new service shall mean each new Medicaid International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnostic code.
2 School Health Services; Consent of Parent or Legal Guardian Required. Amend RSA 200:27-a to read as follows:
200:27-a Consent of Parent or Legal Guardian Required. A child's participation in any program that provides medical or dental treatment in any school setting shall require the explicit written consent of the child's parent or legal guardian for each new service as defined by a new diagnostic billing code .
3 Department of Health and Human Services; Recruitment and Retention Program; Pilot.
I. The general court finds that the recruitment and retention of employees within the department of health and human services is necessary to maintaining a strong and vital workforce within the array of critical service deliveries within its jurisdiction including those administered through the department's division for children, youth and families and Hampstead hospital residential treatment facility (HHRTF). The intent of this act is to proactively address vacancy rates, fluctuations experienced in census populations, acuity of care and reliance on contracted staff at the current Sununu youth services center (SYSC) and at the secured treatment facility to replace SYSC and at HHRTF.
II. The department shall establish a pilot recruitment and retention program. The program may include:
(a) Any recruitment or retention incentives received by a department employee pursuant to this paragraph shall not be considered gifts under RSA 15-B.
(b) Any expenditures made for recruitment or retention incentives pursuant to this paragraph shall be considered a matter of legislatively enacted public policy that is designed to benefit certain department employees and the state, and that is confined exclusively to the public employer by statute as provided in RSA 273-A:1, XI, and which shall not be subject to collective bargaining. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to invalidate any portion of a collective bargaining agreement entered into by the state.
III. On or before December 31, 2024, the department shall provide a report on the effectiveness of the pilot established in paragraph II for possible inclusion in the state operating budget for the biennium ending June 30, 2027, to the senate health and human services committee, the house health, human services and elderly affairs committee, the senate and house finance committees, the senate president, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the governor.
4 Repeal. Section 3 of this act, relative to a pilot recruitment and retention program within the department of health and human services, is repealed.
5 Effective Date.
I. Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2025.
II. Section 4 of this act shall take effect September 15, 2025.
III. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.