by Michael Lyle, Nevada Current
A new state office of children’s health, expanded Medicaid reimbursements for health services provided at schools, and implementing social work apprentice program are among priorities a panel of state lawmakers will recommend to their colleagues when the Nevada Legislature convenes in February.
Ahead of the 2025 Legislative Session, the interim Committee on Health and Human Services Monday approved 15 legislative proposals seeking to address public and behavioral health priorities.
One bill draft request was proposed to aid the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services in its effort to receive reimbursements for health services conducted at schools covered by Medicaid.
Schools in Clark and Washoe counties “are already doing this, and this would allow some of our rural communities to be able to engage and capture this federal money and go further to get more money,” said state Sen. Rochelle Nguyen.
Stacie Weeks, the administrator for Nevada Medicaid, said the department recently received a federal grant to help expand health services provided in schools. The bill would complement the work already being done, she added.
Last year, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued guidance designed to encourage schools to provide more health services under Medicaid, including preventive care, mental health and substance use disorder services, physical and occupational therapy, and disease management.
State. Sen. Robin Titus said she had concerns about the proposal to expand Medicaid services at schools, citing “possible interference with some other issues.” Titus didn’t elaborate during the meeting.
Titus and two other Republicans, Assemblyman Ken Gray and Brian Hibbitts, voted against the proposal.
Gray also raised concerns about a measure that sought to amend state law to enhance existing protections for individuals who report suspected and known cases of child abuse and neglect.
The proposal would “extend immunity from civil or criminal liability to every person who in good faith” provides medical opinions in cases related to alleged child abuse and neglect.
Gray worried it was too broad and questioned if instead of extending it to “individuals” instead of specifically for mandatory reporters, like health care officials or teachers.
The proposal was ultimately approved unanimously.
Other proposals that lawmakers are looking to turn into laws include:
Creating a Tribal Health Authority Council, which could address issues to access health by creating and adopting an advisory plan for the state;Establishing a social work apprenticeship program at the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services;Require the Division of Public and Behavioral Health and the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy to establish a method of reimbursements for therapeutic group groups for adults with serious mental illness;Requiring private and public health insurance to cover screenings and assessment for those under 22 for disorders including fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and other intellectual disabilities.
Several bills were specifically put forward to deal with child welfare and children’s mental health, including creating an office of children’s mental and behavioral health within the DHHS.
The idea was recommended by the Children’s Advocacy Alliance in a previous interim committee meeting.
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