SB 6

This bill authorizes the director of the Office of Educational Opportunity in the

University of Wisconsin System to contract with a person to operate, as a four-year

pilot project, one recovery charter school for no more than 15 high school pupils in

recovery from substance use disorder or dependency. Under the bill, the operator

must provide an academic curriculum that satisfies the requirement for graduation

from high school as well as therapeutic programming and support for pupils

attending the charter school. The bill requires a pupil who wishes to attend the

recovery charter school to apply and to agree to all of the following: 1) that the pupil

has begun treatment in a substance use disorder or dependency program; 2) that the

pupil has maintained sobriety for at 30 days prior to attending the charter school;

and 3) that the pupil will submit to a drug screening assessment and, if appropriate,

a drug test prior to being admitted. The operator of the charter school may not admit

a pupil who tests positive for the presence of a drug in his or her system. In addition,

a pupil who enrolls in the school must receive counseling from substance use disorder

or dependency counselors while enrolled in the charter school.

The contract between the operator of the recovery charter school and OEO must

contain a requirement that, as a condition of continuing enrollment, an applicant for

enrollment in the recovery charter school submit claims for coverage of certain

services provided by the recovery charter school to his or her health care plan for

which the applicant is covered for mental health services. The bill also requires the

director of OEO to, following the fourth year of the operation of the charter school,

submit a written report to the Department of Health Services regarding the

operation and effectiveness of the charter school.

The bill permits the state superintendent to award a start-up grant towards

the establishment of the recovery charter school of up to $50,000 in fiscal year

2017-18 if the director of OEO procures matching funds equal to the amount of the

grant. Under the bill, the Department of Public Instruction must pay to the operator

of the recovery charter school the same per pupil amount as is paid to the operator

of other charter schools.

The bill prohibits a health care policy, plan, or contract from excluding coverage

for mental health or behavioral health treatment or services provided by the recovery

charter school if the policy, plan, or contract covers mental health or behavior health

treatment or services when provided by another health care provider.

This proposal may contain a health insurance mandate requiring a social and

financial impact report under s. 601.423, stats.