Bill > SB2887

This bill, known as the Behavioral Health and Substance Use Disorder Triage Act, establishes a standardized statewide mechanism to ensure individuals receive appropriate levels of care for behavioral health and substance use disorders by mandating the use of objective, evidence-based clinical criteria. It recognizes that these conditions are chronic medical issues and that inconsistent placement decisions lead to fragmented treatment, increased emergency room use, and higher overall costs. For substance use disorders, providers must use the ASAM Criteria (developed by the American Society of Addiction Medicine) for assessments and placement decisions, ensuring these are based on clinical findings, not provider availability or cost. For behavioral health services without a substance use disorder, nationally recognized frameworks like LOCUS (Level of Care Utilization System) for adults and CALOCUS-CASII for children and adolescents will be used. When individuals have both conditions, both sets of criteria will be applied to determine the highest level of clinical need. This act applies to services reimbursed by Medicaid-managed care organizations, commercial insurers, and state-regulated health plans, requiring payors to align their utilization management and prior authorization processes accordingly. The goal is to improve continuity of care, enhance quality outcomes, and contain costs by reducing preventable overdoses, emergency visits, and hospitalizations, with a designated state agency responsible for implementation guidance, monitoring compliance, and aligning quality reporting standards by January 1, 2027, which is also the effective date of the act.

Health and Social Services

https://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2026/pdf/history/SB/SB2887.xml