Oklahoma bipartisan bill to require annual MH screenings advances

Legislation requiring certain providers — physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice registered nurses and osteopathic physicians who practice direct client care — to screen patients for mental health conditions passed the Oklahoma Senate Health and Human Services committee, public radio station KGOU reported March 3. Senate Bill 1836, by Sen. Julia Kirt, (D‐Oklahoma City) and Rep. Josh West, (R‐Grove), would require that the mandatory mental health screening instrument be evidence‐based and prescribed by the providers' respective licensing boards. Providers would have to deliver this screener to patients during or before a primary care visit at least once annually. SB 1836 is a priority of the Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, a nonprofit policy organization, as mental health conditions can easily go undetected. The group said this legislation would help detect symptoms early and connect patients to care before their condition worsens and treatment becomes more costly. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority estimates the fiscal impact of this measure is between $283,916 to $559,883. “We anticipate insurance reimbursing for this activity, which is why it does have a fiscal impact for Medicaid, which is something we're going to have to work through,” Kirt said.