SB 1336 - Behavioral Health Care Services

• Establishes legislative findings that mental health and substance use disorders are diseases of the brain and complex medical conditions requiring coordinated, recovery-oriented services including housing support, vocational training, and employment assistance.

• Requires behavioral health managing entities to develop community plans with counties designating receiving facilities for involuntary assessments, establish specifications for access to care, and develop transportation plans for moving patients between facilities.

• Revises involuntary admission criteria to focus on risk of harm, neglect, health deterioration, or serious bodily harm; expands professionals authorized to execute emergency admission certificates beyond physicians to include psychologists, nurse practitioners, licensed counselors, and clinical social workers.

• Extends maximum duration of court-ordered involuntary substance abuse treatment from 60 days to 90 days and reduces hearing timeline from 10 days to 5 days following petition filing.

• Creates new Part V of Chapter 765 establishing "Mental Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Advance Directives" (Jennifer Act) allowing competent adults to document preferences and appoint surrogates for future mental health or substance abuse treatment decisions, with service providers required to provide information but prohibited from requiring execution.