| HB2027 | Paraphrase: | requires persons wishing to practice as a licensed behavior analyst or a licensed assistant behavior analyst to apply to the Developmental Disabilities Services Division within the Department of Human Services. It establishes criteria for licensure and license fees. It directs the Department of Health to use funds for specialized training for providers in the Sooner Start program to acquire skills necessary to treat children with autism spectrum disorders. The measure also directs the University Hospitals Authority to use funds for primary care provider evaluation training for providers in the Sooner SUCCESS program to acquire skills necessary to evaluate children with autism spectrum disorders. It directs the Developmental Disabilities Services Division to establish an applied behavioral analysis research pilot project and requires DHS to provide the Legislature and the governor a report by Jan. 1, 2014, about the project. The measure also directs the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to establish a program modeled after Early Foundations, an outreach program that provides early intensive behavioral intervention for children with autism. In the Senate, the bill was amended to encourage the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to provide funding for the autism training program at the University of Central Oklahoma. In the Senate, the bill was amended to require the state's Health Insurance High Risk Pool to cover the screening, diagnosis, testing and treatment of an autism spectrum disorder with no dollar limits, visit limitations, deductibles or co-insurance provisions that are less favorable to an insured individual than the dollar limits, visit limitations, deductibles or coinsurance provisions that apply to the primary plan. It was also amended to provide other definitions and coverage directives related to the plan. |
