Bill > SB257

This bill establishes the Support Children's Overall Psychological and Emotional Health (SCOPE) Pilot Program, a collaborative initiative between the Ohio Department of Health and the Department of Behavioral Health designed to provide mental health services to children and youth with special health care needs. The program will focus on addressing mental health conditions commonly experienced by families managing complex medical issues, including medical-induced post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and other stress-related conditions. The program will offer services such as outpatient care, counseling, and medication treatment, and will operate independently from the existing Program for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs. The pilot program is funded with $500,000 for fiscal year 2026 and will terminate after one year or when funding is exhausted, with the two departments jointly conducting a survey of participating families to assess the program's effectiveness. Families eligible for the Program for Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs will be informed about the SCOPE Pilot Program, and the funding allows for potential reappropriation of unused funds to the following fiscal year.

Budget and Finance

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/sb257