HB 2927: Relating to telemedicine and integrated behavioral health care training

HB 2927 intends to address the integration of behavioral health services into primary care by ensuring providers in primary care are supported by trained consulting psychiatrists and other mental health care workers. To accomplish this goal, the bill intends to leverage the existing the psychiatry workforce and to reimburse psychiatric consultation with other providers. The bill amends the definition of telemedicine to remove a clause indicating that telemedicine does not include the use of audio-only telephone, facsimile, or email. The amended language would define telemedicine as audio-only telephone, facsimile, or email for purposes of consultation between psychiatrists and providers only. The bill also creates new statute that indicates DSHS shall partner with the University of Washington to establish up to six centers of excellence in evidenced-based integrated behavioral health training. The centers would focus on improving medical care for the severely and persistently mentally ill in community health centers and behavioral health care in community health centers and other primary care settings and the linkages between the two systems.