Qualified youth drop-in center health care coverage.

Senator Allen's mental health coverage legislation expands access to youth behavioral health services by requiring health plans to cover treatment at qualified youth drop-in centers. The bill amends existing law that mandates coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services provided at school sites, extending those requirements to include services delivered at designated youth centers.

Under the legislation, qualified youth drop-in centers must provide behavioral health services to individuals up to age 25, offer additional youth support services like education and employment assistance, maintain capacity for before and after-school hours, and operate through a nonprofit, government agency, or tribal entity. Health plans and insurers must reimburse these centers at rates matching or exceeding the state fee schedule, without requiring prior authorization or imposing cost-sharing on patients.

The State Department of Health Care Services will develop and maintain a statewide fee schedule and provider network for outpatient mental health treatments at both school sites and youth centers. A new Behavioral Health Schoolsite Fee Schedule Administration Fund, supported by fees from participating health plans, will cover the administrative costs of implementing these provisions. Local educational agencies and higher education institutions may consolidate claims for efficient submission and reimbursement.