HB 5419 Summary

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services to contract with nonprofit organizations to operate regional behavioral health action organizations, one for each mental health region in the state.

• Establishes duties for regional behavioral health action organizations including assessing behavioral health needs, providing opioid antagonist training and distribution, reporting community needs annually, and coordinating federal, state, regional and local behavioral health initiatives.

• Restructures the Board of Mental Health and Addiction Services effective October 1, 2022, replacing regional mental health boards with five members appointed by the Commissioner to represent regional behavioral health action organizations.

• Repeals sections 17a-484 and 17a-671 of the general statutes and makes conforming amendments throughout the statutes to replace references to regional mental health boards and subregional planning councils with references to regional behavioral health action organizations.

• Updates terminology throughout mental health and addiction services statutes from "substance abuse" to "substance use disorders" and from "psychiatric disabilities" to "behavioral health disorders" where applicable.