SB500: SB500 Behavioral Health Care Workforce Data Base; expand to include data from licensed health care professionals

26 LC 60 0342S Senate Bill 500 By: Senators Hodges of the 3rd, Watson of the 1st, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Walker III of the 20th, Harrell of the 40th and others AS PASSED A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Chapter 10 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the1 Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce, so as to expand the Beh avioral Health Care2 Workforce Data Base to include data from licensed health care p rofessionals; to revise3 definitions; to rename such data base as the Health Care Workforce Data Base; to provide4 for conforming changes; to provide for related matters; to repe al conflicting laws; and for5 other purposes.6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:7 SECTION 1.8 Chapter 10 of Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotate d, relating to the Georgia9 Board of Health Care Workforce, is amended by revising subsecti ons (a) and (b) and10 paragraph (9) of subsection (d) of Code Section 49-10-5, relating to Behavioral Health Care11 Workforce Data Base, as follows:12 "(a) As used in this Code section, the term:13 (1) 'Addictive disease' has the same meaning as in Code Section 37-1-1 Reserved.14 S. B. 500 - 1 - 26 LC 60 0342S (2) 'Behavioral health care provider' 'Health care professional' means any health care15 provider professional regulated by a licensing board who primarily provides treatmen t16 or diagnosis of mental health or substance use disorders.17 (3) 'Licensing board' means:18 (A) Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and19 Marriage and Family Therapists;20 (B) Georgia Board of Nursing;21 (C) Georgia Composite Medical Board;22 (D) State Board of Examiners of Psychologists; and23 (E) State Board of Pharmacy;24 (F) Georgia Board of Dentistry;25 (G) Georgia Board of Chiropractic Examiners;26 (H) State Board of Optometry;27 (I) State Board of Occupational Therapy;28 (J) State Board of Physical Therapy;29 (K) State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology;30 (L) State Board of Podiatry Examiners;31 (M) Georgia Board of Examiners of Licensed Dietitians;32 (N) Department of Public Health; and33 (O) Georgia Behavior Analyst Licensing Board.34 (4) 'Mental health or substance use disorder' means a mental illness or addictive disease.35 (5) 'Mental illness' has the same meaning as in Code Section 37-1-1.36 (b) The board shall create and maintain the Behavioral Health Care Workforce Data Base37 for the purposes of collecting and analyzing minimum data set s urveys for behavioral38 health care professionals. To facilitate such data base, the board shall:39 S. B. 500 - 2 - 26 LC 60 0342S (1) Enter into agreements with entities to create, house, and provide information to the40 Governor, the General Assembly, state agencies, and the public regarding the state's41 behavioral health care workforce;42 (2) Seek federal or other sources of funding necessary to supp ort the creation and43 maintenance of a Behavioral Health Care Workforce Data Base, including any necessary44 staffing;45 (3) Create and maintain an online dashboard accessible on the board's website to provide46 access to the Behavioral Health Care Workforce Data Base; and47 (4) Establish a minimum data set survey to be utilized by lice nsing boards to collect48 demographic and other data from behavioral health care providers professionals which49 are licensed by such boards."50 "(9) Types of insurance accepted and whether the provider health care professional51 accepts Medicaid and Medicare; and"52 SECTION 2.53 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.54 S. B. 500 - 3 -