(1)(a) The department, in consultation with the evidence-based practice institute established in RCW 71.24.061, shall develop and implement policies to improve prescribing practices for treatment of emotional or behavioral disturbances in children, improve the quality of children's mental health therapy through increased use of evidence-based and research-based practices and reduced variation in practice, improve communication and care coordination between primary care and mental health providers, and prioritize care in the family home or care which integrates the family where out-of-home placement is required.

     (b) The department shall identify those children with emotional or behavioral disturbances who may be at high risk due to off-label use of prescription medication, use of multiple medications, high medication dosage, or lack of coordination among multiple prescribing providers, and establish one or more mechanisms to evaluate the appropriateness of the medication these children are using, including but not limited to obtaining second opinions from experts in child psychiatry.

     (c) The department shall review the psychotropic medications of all children under five and establish one or more mechanisms to evaluate the appropriateness of the medication these children are using, including but not limited to obtaining second opinions from experts in child psychiatry.

     (d) The department shall track prescriptive practices with respect to psychotropic medications with the goal of reducing the use of medication.

     (e) The department shall encourage the use of cognitive behavioral therapies and other treatments which are empirically supported or evidence-based, in addition to or in the place of prescription medication where appropriate.

     (2) The department shall convene a representative group of regional support networks, community mental health centers, and managed health care systems contracting with the department under RCW 74.09.522 to:

     (a) Establish mechanisms and develop contract language that ensures increased coordination of and access to medicaid mental health benefits available to children and their families, including ensuring access to services that are identified as a result of a developmental screen administered through early periodic screening, diagnosis, and treatment;

     (b) Define managed health care system and regional support network contractual performance standards that track access to and utilization of services; and

     (c) Set standards for reducing the number of children that are prescribed antipsychotic drugs and receive no outpatient mental health services with their medication.

     (3) The department shall submit a report on progress and any findings under this section to the legislature by January 1, 2009.

[2007 c 359 § 5.]

NOTES:

     Captions not law -- 2007 c 359: See note following RCW 71.36.005.