Act 503: Changes to CPST and PSR Services (IB 22-22)

Date: 07/14/22

Louisiana Healthcare Connections is sharing with providers the recent passing and signing of Senate Bill 213 by the Louisiana Legislature and Governor John Bel Edwards of Act 503. Certain requirements in Act 503 require federal approval by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) via revisions to Louisiana’s Medicaid State Plan.

This law affects behavioral health services providers (BHSP) who provide community psychiatric support and treatment (CPST) services or psychosocial rehabilitation (PSR) services to Medicaid enrollees. More specifically, it revises the components of the services and the staff able to provide the services. See the table below for final language from Act 503.

Pending CMS approval, the anticipated effective date will be January 1, 2023.

Changes to CPST and PSR Services

Per Act 503, “community psychiatric support and treatment services” means CMS-approved Medicaid mental health rehabilitation services designed to reduce disability from mental illness, restore functional skills of daily living, build natural supports, and achieve identified person-centered goals or objectives through counseling, clinical psycho-education, and ongoing monitoring needs as set forth in an individualized treatment plan.

“Psychosocial rehabilitation services” means CMS-approved Medicaid mental health rehabilitation services designed to assist the individual with compensating for or eliminating functional deficits and interpersonal or environmental barriers associated with mental illness through skill building and supportive interventions to restore and rehabilitate social and interpersonal skills and daily living skills.

Any individual rendering the assessment and treatment planning components of CPST services for a licensed and accredited provider agency shall be a fully licensed mental health professional.

Any individual rendering any of the other components of CPST services for a licensed and accredited provider agency shall be a fully licensed mental health professional, a provisionally licensed professional counselor, a provisionally licensed marriage and family therapist, a licensed master social worker, a certified social worker, or a psychology intern from an American Psychological Association approved internship program.

Any individual rendering PSR services for a licensed and accredited provider agency shall hold a minimum of one of the following: a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college in the field of counseling, social work, psychology, sociology, rehabilitation services, special education, early childhood education, secondary education, family and consumer sciences, criminal justice, or human growth and development.

Louisiana Healthcare Connections and LDH will take appropriate actions to ensure that recipients of CPST and PSR services are authorized to receive customized treatment based on the medical necessity of the recipients.

Additional guidance will be updated periodically.