An Act ensuring access to behavioral health services for children involved with state agencies

HD 1297 requires the Department of Mental Health to cover specialized behavioral health services (like crisis intervention, inpatient care, and youth stabilization) for children in state care. It mandates that congregate care programs (e.g., group homes providing foster care) implement emergency response plans prioritizing behavioral health support over law enforcement referrals, and prohibits denying readmission to children who are medically and psychiatrically stable after a hospitalization or crisis. The bill also requires programs to report readmission denials to the Department of Children and Families, with data collected on demographics and shared publicly. These changes directly affect children in foster care, congregate care programs, and state agencies managing child welfare and mental health services.