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_ 438 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 295. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 efforts to grow the CSB's workforce. The department shall distribute the funding by no later than October 1, 2024. Based on the submitted plans, the department is authorized to transfer an amount necessary to cover loan repayment proposals that would otherwise be provided through the state's Behavioral Health Loan Repayment Program, if such program has insufficient funds to cover the loan repayment costs submitted in the CSBs' plans. The Department of Planning and Budget is authorized to transfer appropriation from this Item if DBHDS has indicated such transfer would be necessary to ensure the loan repayment proposals are funded through the Behavioral Health Loan Repayment Program. NN. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall report to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees, the Joint Subcommittee for Health and Human Resource Oversight, and the Behavioral Health Commission by December 1, 2024, on the changes to STEP-VA performance measures and benchmarks that are anticipated to be included in Community Services Board performance contracts, which will become effective July 1, 2025. OO.1. The Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) shall report annually on (i) Community Services Boards (CSB) performance in improving the functioning levels of its consumers based on composite and individual item scores from the DLA-20 assessment, or results from another comparable assessment, by CSB, (ii) changes in CSB performance in improving consumer functioning levels over time, by CSB, (iii) any substantial underperformance or non-compliance and associated enforcement actions, and (iv) the use of functional assessment data by the DBHDS to improve CSB performance to the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, the Behavioral Health Commission, and each CSB governing board. 2. DBHDS shall (i) identify all current Department requirements related to documentation and reporting of CSB behavioral health services, (ii) identify which of these requirements currently apply to work by CSB direct care staff, (iii) identify any DBHDS requirements of direct care staff that are duplicative of or conflict with other DBHDS requirements, (iv) eliminate any requirements that are not essential to ensuring consumers receive effective and timely services, and (v) report to the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Behavioral Health Commission on progress made toward eliminating administrative requirements that are not essential, duplicative, or are conflicting. 3. DBHDS shall complete a comprehensive review of the performance contracts with CSBs and revise all performance measures in the base performance contract and addendums to ensure that (i) performance measures are designed to measure outcomes for each service, (ii) performance measures include a relevant benchmark for each measurement, and (iii) DBHDS has given clear direction on how it will monitor performance and enforce compliance with performance requirements. The contracts shall also require that any funding appropriated by the General Assembly to CSBs for staff compensation shall only be used for staff compensation, and that CSBs report annually to DBHDS on any staff compensation actions taken during the prior fiscal year. DBHDS should complete the contract revisions and report on the improvements made to the Behavioral Health Commission by December 1, 2024, and implement changes before the finalization of the fiscal year 2026 performance contract. 4. The Department of Medical Assistance Services, in cooperation with DBHDS, shall (i) develop and implement a targeted review process to assess the extent to which CSBs are billing for Medicaid-eligible services they provide, (ii) determine if additional technical assistance and training, in coordination with Medicaid managed care organizations, is needed on appropriate Medicaid billing and claiming practices to relevant CSB staff, and (iii) evaluate the feasibility of a central billing entity, similar to the Federally Qualified Health Centers, that would handle all Medicaid claims for the entire system. The Department shall report the results of these targeted reviews, any technical assistance or training provided in response, and on the feasibility of central billing to the Chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance and Appropriations Committees by December 1, 2024. 5. DBHDS shall report annually to the State Board of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and the Behavioral Health Commission on average salaries, turnover, and vacancy rates by position type across CSBs. PP. Pursuant to the provisions of legislation passed in the 2024 General Assembly, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services shall cover an individual's