44th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2000

REQUESTING THE EARLY PERIODIC SCREENING DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING STEERING COMMITTEE TO CONTINUE ITS EFFORTS TO IMPROVE BOTH THE SCREENING DIAGNOSIS PROCESS AND FOLLOW-UP TREATMENT FOR NEW MEXICO'S MEDICAID CHILDREN AND YOUTH.

WHEREAS, recent figures show that approximately two hundred thousand eligible children are enrolled in medicaid, including more than thirty thousand newly enrolled in the past two years; and

WHEREAS, there are still an estimated sixty-seven thousand children eligible but not enrolled in medicaid; and

WHEREAS, medicaid children, whether enrolled in managed care or a fee-for-service program, are eligible for early periodic screening diagnosis and testing (EPSDT); and

WHEREAS, EPSDT is considered to be one of the most effective and efficient prevention and early intervention tools in the health care field; and

WHEREAS, the EPSDT program offers comprehensive health and developmental histories, assessments of physical and mental health development, complete physical examinations, age appropriate immunizations, various laboratory tests, health education, diagnoses and a full continuum of health care treatment for children enrolled in medicaid from birth to age twenty-one; and

WHEREAS, SALUD managed care organizations are paid to provide EPSDT services, whether performed or not; and

WHEREAS, it is in the best interests of the children, the managed care organizations and the state for health care problem identification and follow-up treatment to be accomplished at the earliest possible time; and

WHEREAS, recognizing that too many families are not taking advantage of the EPSDT program, the human services department, the department of health, the children, youth and

families department, the state department of public education, the three SALUD managed care organizations and interested advocates and organizations formed the EPSDT steering committee; and

WHEREAS, the EPSDT steering committee has established priorities for improving the program in four major categories and is recommending policy changes accordingly; and

WHEREAS, the New Mexico first town hall has chosen improved participation in and functioning of the EPSDT program as a very high priority, aiming for ninety percent participation by 2002;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the EPSDT steering committee continue its efforts to improve both the quality of the EPSDT program and the rate of participation by New Mexico's medicaid children and youth; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the behavior health managed care organizations serving medicaid clients be invited to participate in the EPSDT steering committee; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the EPSDT steering committee develop recommendations to encourage families to continue to use the program beyond initial early testing, so that older children and early and middle adolescents have the advantage of the EPSDT program's medical and behavioral health care and guidance on critical behavioral issues; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all parties responsible for parental notification and follow-up be required to do so to the maximum extent required by federal law; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the human services department give a progress report on the EPSDT program and steering committee recommendations to the interim legislative health and human services committee at both its first meeting and its October meeting in 2000; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this joint memorial be sent to each of the departments, agencies, managed care organizations and other participants of the EPSDT steering committee.