SB389 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Greg J. Reed

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Certificate of need process, expanded to include certain psychiatric residential treatment facilities, Sec. 22-21-260 am'd.

Summary

SB389 expands the certificate of need rules to include psychiatric residential treatment facilities for under-21s and creates a streamlined CON process for existing facilities.

What This Bill Does

It broadens the definition of a health care facility to cover psychiatric residential treatment facilities serving youths under 21 outside hospitals. It provides a streamlined CON review pathway for existing facilities and directs the State Health Planning and Development Agency and related bodies to adopt processing rules. It requires the Department of Public Health to license these facilities within 12 months if they are accredited by major national bodies, and lets existing facilities operate while CON and licensure are processed. It also prohibits new under-21 PRFT facilities without a CON and calls for revisions to the State Health Plan to plan for additional facilities; it includes an exemption related to Medicaid regional care organizations for existing facilities.

Who It Affects

• Psychiatric residential treatment facilities for youth under 21: would face a new CON requirement and licensing process, with a potential streamlined path for existing facilities.
• State health agencies and programs (SHPDA, Statewide Health Coordinating Council, Department of Public Health, and Medicaid-related entities): responsible for implementing streamlined CON processing, establishing licensure rules, revising the State Health Plan, and overseeing compliance.

Key Provisions

• Expands the definition of health care facility to include psychiatric residential treatment facilities serving individuals under 21 outside of acute care hospitals.
• Creates a streamlined certificate of need (CON) review process for existing psychiatric residential treatment facilities.
• SHPDA and Statewide Health Coordinating Council must adopt rules for processing CON applications for these facilities.
• Department of Public Health must license such facilities within 12 months if accredited by Joint Commission, CARF, Council on Accreditation, or another nationally recognized accrediting body, and adopt licensure rules for new facilities.
• Existing facilities may continue to operate while CON and licensure are being processed.
• No new psychiatric residential treatment facility for under-21s may be established after the act’s effective date without a CON.
• The State Health Plan must be revised to address the need for additional PRFT facilities after an assessment.
• Existing PRFT facilities may be exempt from Medicaid regional care organizations.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Certificate of Need