Legislative Intent — Alleviation of Geographical Disparities
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It is the intent of the general assembly that the system of care developed to reflect § 33-2-102 provides a comprehensive array of services and supports that are geographically available, equitably and efficiently allocated statewide and in each grand division of the state, that allows people to be in their own community settings, based on the needs and choices of individuals and families served. Services and supports provided to persons generally and as part of the medical assistance program, pursuant to title 71, chapter 5, shall seek to alleviate geographic service and support disparities across the state and its grand divisions. In striving to alleviate the geographic disparities, the state should seek to allocate budget improvements and other new resources in a manner that promotes equitable distribution of services and supports among the grand divisions of the state.
In order to implement subsection (a), the state shall strive to avoid gaps in services and endeavor to achieve a delivery system that ensures that services are available to service recipients on a substantially equitable basis, regardless of place of residence within the state. To that end, the commissioner of finance and administration shall report to the health and welfare committee of the senate and the health committee of the house of representatives, no later than January 15, 2008, and annually thereafter, on the following indicators of equity in the service delivery system:
The extent to which special services and programs such as programs for assertive community treatment (PACT), crisis stabilization units, resiliency and recovery programs, etc. are available on a substantially equitable basis throughout the state;
The extent to which psychiatric and medical services of the same level, intensity, and duration are available on a substantially equitable basis throughout the state; and
The extent to which rates of service utilization by service recipients are substantially equitable throughout the state.