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1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
3 HOUSE BILL 4092 By: Norwood
4
5
6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to 988 Mental Health Lifeline;
defining terms; designating the Department of Mental
8 Health and Substance Abuse Services to oversee the
suicide prevention and crisis service activities;
9 providing for performance and clinical standards;
providing for promulgation of rules; creating the 988
10 Trust Fund; stating purpose; providing for adequate
funding; providing for enforcement; providing for
11 codification; and providing an effective date.
12
13
14 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
15 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
16 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 12-200 of Title 43A, unless
17 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
18 As used in this section:
19 1. "911" means any telephone system whereby telephone
20 subscribers may utilize a three-digit number (9-1-1) for reporting
21 an emergency to the appropriate public agency providing law
22 enforcement, fire, medical or other emergency services, including
23 ancillary communications systems and personnel necessary to pass the
24 reported emergency to the appropriate emergency service and which
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1 the wireless service provider is required to provide pursuant to the
2 Federal Communications Commission Order 94-102, 961 Federal Register
3 40348;
4 2. "988" means the universal telephone number within the United
5 States designated by the Federal Communications Commission for the
6 purpose of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline program
7 operating through the 988 Mental Health Lifeline (988 Lifeline), or
8 its successor maintained by the Assistant Secretary for Mental
9 Health and Substance Use under Section 520E�3 of the Public Health
10 Service Act, 42 U.S.C. 290bb-36c;
11 3. "988 Trust Fund" means the 988 Mental Health Lifeline
12 program fund created pursuant to Section 3 of this act;
13 4. "Behavioral health crisis services" are intensive services
14 that are provided to address or prevent behavioral health symptoms,
15 situations, or events that may negatively impact an individual's
16 ability to function within his or her current family or caregiver
17 and living situation, school, workplace, or community. Behavioral
18 health crisis services are for anyone, anywhere, and at any time and
19 can be provided in a variety of settings, including via text or
20 telephone, face-to-face at an individual's home, or in the
21 community;
22 5. "Behavioral health crisis system" is an organized set of
23 structures, processes, and services in place to meet all types of
24 urgent and emerging mental health and substance use needs in a
Req. No. 15629 Page 2
1 defined population or community, effectively and efficiently.
2 Essential elements of a behavioral health crisis system include 988
3 crisis lines that accept all calls and texts, and provide support
4 and referrals based on the needs of the individual or family member
5 or caregiver; mobile crisis teams that respond to the location of
6 need in the community; and crisis stabilization facilities that
7 serve everyone who enters its doors from all referral sources.
8 Comprehensive behavioral health crisis systems:
9 a. address recovery needs, significant use of peers, and
10 trauma-informed care,
11 b. ensure safety and security for staff and those in
12 crisis, and
13 c. involve collaboration with law enforcement and
14 emergency medical services.
15 6. "Certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHC)" are
16 facilities as defined under Section 1913(c) of the Public Health
17 Services Act or Section 223(d) of the Protecting Access to Medicare
18 Act of 2014 (PAMA). CCBHC's are also certified by the Department of
19 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services;
20 7. "Co-response" is a collaborative approach to behavioral
21 health crisis developed in response to the need for local adaptation
22 in which first responders, sometimes including law enforcement
23 officers, are partnered with behavioral health professionals as an
24
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1 effective way to respond to behavioral health crises and other
2 situations involving unmet behavioral health needs;
3 8. "Crisis stabilization services" reflect a range of models
4 and care to support individuals through emergent and urgent
5 behavioral health needs. Crisis stabilization services involve
6 facility-, home-, and community-based services that provide access
7 to care and stabilization for adults and youth in crisis. Crisis
8 stabilization services are delivered across a continuum of care that
9 includes no barrier, low barrier, and referral-based services;
10 9. "Mobile crisis team" means a multidisciplinary behavioral
11 health team that includes at least one behavioral health care
12 professional who is capable of conducting an assessment of the
13 individual, in accordance with the professional's permitted scope of
14 practice under state law, and other professionals or
15 paraprofessionals with appropriate expertise in behavioral health or
16 mental health crisis response, including nurses, social workers,
17 peer support specialists, and others, whose members are trained in
18 trauma-informed care, de-escalation strategies, and harm reduction;
19 that is able to respond in a timely manner and, where appropriate,
20 provide screening and assessment; stabilization and de-escalation;
21 and coordination with, and referrals to, health, social, and other
22 services and supports as needed; that maintains relationships with
23 relevant community partners, including medical and behavioral; and
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1 10. "Urgent Recovery Center" is an ambulatory setting that
2 offers safe and time-limited services and supports to individuals
3 experiencing behavioral health crisis. This setting is an
4 alternative to the use of hospital emergency departments or more
5 intensive crisis services.
6 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
7 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 12-201 of Title 43A, unless
8 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
9 A. The State of Oklahoma shall designate the Department of
10 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to have primary oversight
11 over the suicide prevention and crisis service activities and
12 essential coordination with designated 988 Lifeline Crisis Centers
13 to provide crisis intervention services and crisis care coordination
14 to individuals accessing the 988 Mental Health Lifeline program from
15 any jurisdiction within Oklahoma twenty-four (24) hours a day, seven
16 (7) days a week.
17 B. The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
18 Services (ODMHSAS) shall have primary oversight of suicide
19 prevention and crisis service activities.
20 C. The designated 988 Lifeline Crisis Centers shall meet 988
21 Lifeline Program requirements and best practices guidelines for
22 operational, performance and clinical standards.
23 D. The ODMHSAS shall use its authority to promulgate rules and
24 regulations to allow appropriate information sharing and
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1 communication between and across crisis and emergency response
2 systems for the purpose of real-time crisis care coordination
3 including, but not limited to, deployment of crisis and outgoing
4 services and linked, flexible services specific to crisis response.
5 E. The state or related public health authority shall assure
6 active collaborations and coordination of service linkages between
7 the designated centers and crisis receiving and stabilization
8 services for individuals accessing the 988 Lifeline through
9 appropriate information sharing regarding availability of services.
10 F. The state or related public health authority and designated
11 988 Lifeline Crisis Centers shall utilize technology to enhance
12 communication and coordination in the delivery of behavioral health
13 crisis services, and for data collection, analysis and sharing.
14 SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
15 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 12-202 of Title 43A, unless
16 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
17 The State of Oklahoma shall establish a statewide 988 Trust Fund
18 for the following purposes:
19 1. To create and maintain a statewide 988 Lifeline system
20 pursuant to the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020,
21 the Federal Communication Commission's rules adopted July 16, 2020,
22 and October 17, 2024, and the National Guidelines For A Behavioral
23 Health Coordinated System Of Crisis Care;
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1 2. To support or enhance 988 services, including state
2 designated 988 Lifeline Crisis Centers, and mobile crisis, co-
3 response and outreach services in specified circumstances;
4 3. The fund shall consist of:
5 a. appropriations made by the Legislature,
6 b. available federal funding that has been allocated by
7 the state for the purposes of 988 Lifeline
8 implementation,
9 c. grants and gifts intended for deposit in the fund,
10 d. interest, premiums, gains, or other earnings of the
11 fund, and
12 e. monies from any other source deposited in or
13 transferred to the fund;
14 4. The fund shall be created and administered by the Department
15 of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services and money in the fund
16 shall be expended to offset costs that are or can be reasonably
17 attributed to:
18 a. implementing, maintaining, and improving the 988
19 Mental Health Lifeline including staffing and
20 technological infrastructure enhancements necessary to
21 achieve operational and clinical standards and best
22 practices set forth by the state, the Department of
23 Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, or 988
24 Lifeline administrator,
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1 b. provision of acute behavioral health, crisis outreach,
2 and receiving and stabilization services by directly
3 responding to the 988 Mental Health Lifeline, or
4 c. personnel for the 988 Mental Health Lifeline centers;
5 5. Money in the fund:
6 a. does not revert at the end of any state fiscal year
7 and shall remain available for the purposes of the
8 fund in subsequent state fiscal years,
9 b. is not subject to transfer to any other fund or to
10 transfer, assignment, or reassignment for any other
11 use or purpose outside of those specified in this
12 section,
13 c. is continuously appropriated for the purposes of the
14 fund,
15 d. to the extent that the 988 Mental Health Lifeline
16 centers are fully funded, the expansion and ongoing
17 funding of mobile crisis teams, co-response, and
18 outreach teams,
19 e. to the extent that the 988 Mental Health Lifeline
20 centers and the mobile crisis teams are fully funded,
21 remaining revenues in the Trust Fund shall be used for
22 a variety of crisis receiving and stabilization
23 services, including services provided by:
24 (1) crisis stabilization settings,
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1 (2) residential settings,
2 (3) additional behavioral health stabilization
3 services and supports, and
4 f. mobile crisis teams shall operate in compliance with
5 rules adopted by relevant agencies.
6 SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
7 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 12-203 of Title 43A, unless
8 there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
9 The State of Oklahoma shall implement strategies to ensure that
10 the behavioral health crisis service system is adequately funded,
11 including mechanisms for reimbursement of behavioral health crisis
12 response, but not limited to:
13 A. Ensuring that to the extent available any necessary federal
14 approvals are obtained and federal financial participation is
15 available and is not otherwise jeopardized, seeking to maximize all
16 available federal funding sources for the purposes of behavioral
17 health crisis services and administrative activities related to 988
18 implementation, including:
19 1. Federal Medicaid reimbursement for services;
20 2. Federal Medicaid reimbursement for administrative expenses,
21 including the development and maintenance of information technology;
22 and supporting implementation of the behavioral health crisis
23 continuum through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance
24
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1 Program (CHIP) through Section 5124 of the Consolidated
2 Appropriations Act of 2023 (CAA, 2023); and
3 3. Federal grants.
4 B. Mandating the Oklahoma Insurance Department and Medicaid
5 behavioral managed health care to exercise their enforcement
6 authority by verifying reimbursement to 988 centers for medically
7 necessary behavioral health crisis services by health care service
8 plans and disability insurers, and consistent with the requirements
9 of the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of
10 2008, 29 U.S.C. Sec. 1185a, the September 9, 2024, final rules
11 implementing the nonquantitative treatment limitation comparative
12 analyses requirements under the Mental Health Parity and Addiction
13 Equity Act of 2008, in accordance with the amendments made to the
14 law in 2021, and pursuant to the No Surprises Act, including 26 U.S.
15 Code Section 9816, 29 U.S. Code Section 1185e, and 42 U.S. Code
16 Section 300gg-111, and it's implementing regulations.
17 SECTION 5. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
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19 60-2-15629 TJ 01/05/26
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Req. No. 15629 Page 10Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.