(a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to establish an open, transparent, and inclusive process for the planning and implementation of the Family First Prevention Services Act, as part of Division E in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. The Family First Prevention Services Act redirects federal funds to provide services to keep children safely with their families and out of foster care, and when foster care is needed, allows federal reimbursement for care in family-based settings and certain residential treatment programs for children with emotional and behavioral disturbance requiring special treatment.

(b) In a manner consistent with the intent expressed in subsection (a), on or before July 1, 2019, the secretary shall establish a working group to coordinate planning for the Family First Prevention Services Act and related improvements in the child welfare and foster care systems among the department’s bureaus, including the Bureau for Children and Families, the Bureau of Medical Services, the Bureau for Behavior Health, the Bureau for Public Health, and the Office of Drug Control Policy.

(1) The department’s ability to build on the planning of state initiatives under the Court Improvement Project, the Juvenile Justice Commission, behavioral health in the schools, the Foster, Kinship, and Adoptive Parents Network, and other related state level initiatives.

(2) The department’s ability to support community level planning in all 55 counties in coordination with child welfare community collaboratives, drug policy councils, drug courts, and other local initiatives.

(3) The department’s ability to reduce fragmentation and ways to offer a seamless approach to meeting participants’ needs;

(4) The department’s ability to provide supports and services in the most integrated, appropriate, and cost-effective way possible;

(5) The department’s ability to provide a continuum of acute care services, including an array of home and community-based options; and

(6) Standards for care coordination are necessary including coordination between settings, community services, and services provided by other MCOs or through fee-for-service arrangements.

(d) The secretary shall ensure that the working group consults stakeholders in the program development and implementation process, including foster, adoptive, and kinship parents.

(e) Beginning on August 1, 2019, and each month thereafter, the secretary shall submit a report to the Legislative Oversight Committee on Health and Human Resources Accountability on the progress of the workgroup. The duty to submit a report shall continue until the secretary submits a final report along with the final recommendations of the workgroup.

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter to the contrary, the secretary may not initiate a transition to a capitated Medicaid program for a child classified as a foster child or a child placed in foster care under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act until expressly authorized to do so by the legislature.