House Bill 332
By: Representatives Herring of the 145th, Frye of the 122nd, Bell of the 75th, Gilliard of the
162nd, Flournoy of the 74th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 7C of Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
relating to therapy services for children with disabilities, so as to convene an advisory
working group to review tools and protocols for the screening of children for trauma within
the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program; to provide for findings
and recommendations; to provide for abolishment of the advisory working group; to provide
for subsequent periodic review of screening protocols and tools; to provide for
implementation only if certain conditions are met; to provide for related matters; to repeal
conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 7C of Chapter 4 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
therapy services for children with disabilities, is amended by adding a new Code section to
read as follows:
<ins>"49-4-169.4.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'trauma' means the result of an event, series of
events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or
</ins>
<ins>emotionally harmful or threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual's
functioning and physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.
(b)(1) The department, in consultation with the Department of Behavioral Health and
Developmental Disabilities, community service boards, managed care plan experts,
behavioral health experts, child welfare experts, and stakeholders, shall convene an
advisory working group to update, amend, or develop, if appropriate, tools and protocols
for the screening of children for trauma, within the EPSDT Program. The advisory
working group shall review and make recommendations regarding:
(A) Existing screening tools used in the EPSDT Program, including, but not limited to,
the United States Preventive Services Task Force grade 'A' or 'B' recommendations, and
the periodicity schedule and anticipatory guidance issued by the Bright Futures
initiative led by the American Academy of Pediatrics; and
(B) The efficacy and appropriateness of the types of providers authorized to administer
screenings.
(2) The department shall convene the advisory working group by October 1, 2025. The
advisory working group shall report its findings and recommendations, as well as the
amount of funding that would be necessary to implement such recommendations, to the
department and to the General Assembly's appropriation committees and committees on
Health and Human Services no later than October 1, 2026. The advisory working group
shall be abolished on December 31, 2026.
(3) Findings or recommendations of the advisory working group that cannot be
implemented without a subsequent appropriation by the General Assembly, as determined
by the department, shall not be implemented until such appropriation is made.
(4) On and after October 1, 2026, the department shall periodically review and consider
the protocols for the screening of trauma in children consistent with subparagraphs
(b)(1)(A) and (b)(1)(B) of this Code section. The advisory working group created
pursuant to this subsection may, prior to its abolishment, recommend to the department
</ins>
<ins>an existing group appropriate to conduct such periodic review. The department shall
ensure that the protocols for the screening of trauma in children are reviewed and
considered at least once every five years.
(c) This Code section shall be implemented only if and to the extent that federal financial
participation under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1396,
et seq.) is not jeopardized and all necessary federal approvals have been obtained."
</ins> SECTION 2.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.