HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

101

TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2018

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

requesting the establishment of a working group to examine how the department of education can maximize medicaid reimbursement for support services offered to eligible students during school hours.

 

 


     WHEREAS, the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and state laws require the Department of Education to provide a free appropriate public education, which includes a continuum of services, to students who are eligible for special education and related services; and

 

     WHEREAS, special education may include but is not limited to academic services, speech-language services, psychological services, physical and occupational therapy, counseling services, and parent education, all at no cost to parents; and

 

     WHEREAS, if a student is found eligible to receive special education, services are provided to the student through an individualized education plan, which is a written statement about the educational program for a child with a disability, serves as a management tool to ensure that the child receives the needed special education and related services, and is an evaluation device when used to determine the extent of the child's progress toward accomplishing projected goals; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division of the Department of Health has a statewide mandate as a result of the Felix Consent Decree to work with the Department of Education to provide services to special education youth with severe mental health conditions and should be able to receive payment from MedQUEST for reimbursement for services provided to Medicaid eligible children and adolescents; and

 

     WHEREAS, because of how critical it is for all students to receive a quality public education, this body recognizes that a review of the Department of Education's effectiveness and efficiency in maximizing Medicaid reimbursements for support services to eligible students is necessary; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2018, the Senate concurring, that a working group be established to examine how the Department of Education can maximize Medicaid reimbursement for support services offered to eligible students during school hours; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group include the following members:

 

     (1)  The Superintendent of Education, or the Superintendent's designee;

 

     (2)  The MedQUEST Administrator, or the Administrator's designee;

 

     (3)  A MedQUEST health care services representative;

 

     (4)  The Deputy Attorneys General representing the Department of Human Services and Department of Health, or their respective designees;

 

     (5)  The Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, to serve as co-chair; and

 

     (6)  The Chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Education, to serve as co-chair; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the working group convene on August 1, 2018; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that in the working group's examination on maximizing Medicaid reimbursement for support services offered during school hours by the Department of Education, include but not be limited to:

 

     (1)  Occupational and physical therapy;

 

     (2)  Speech pathology;

 

     (3)  Applied behavior analysis; and

 

     (4)  Other wellness supports that benefit a student's learning and growth; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Superintendent of Education, Attorney General, MedQUEST Division Administrator, Chair of the Senate Committee on Education, and Chair of the House of Representatives Committee on Education.

 

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

Report Title: 

Department of Education; Working Group; Medicaid Reimbursement; Support Services