Inpatient psychiatric services for persons under 21 years of age.

(a) Notwithstanding AS 47.07.030 , the department may not grant assistance under this chapter for inpatient psychiatric services to a person under 21 years of age who is in an out-of-state psychiatric hospital facility or an out-of-state residential psychiatric treatment center unless the department determines that the assistance is for (1) psychiatric hospital services that are consistent with the person's clinical diagnosis and appropriately address the person's needs and that these services are unavailable in the state; or

(2) residential psychiatric treatment center services that are consistent with the person's clinical diagnosis and appropriately address the person's needs and that these services are unavailable in the state.

(b) The department shall, on a monthly basis, evaluate what types of services are available in the state for inpatient psychiatric care for persons under 21 years of age. If inpatient psychiatric services that are consistent with the person's clinical diagnosis and that appropriately address the person's needs become available at a location in the state for a person under 21 years of age who is receiving the services under this chapter at a location outside the state, the department shall, as a condition of continued eligibility for coverage of the services under this chapter, require the person to be transferred to the in-state facility unless the department determines that the transfer would be detrimental to the person's health, established therapeutic relationship, or clinical need.