S.B. 709 Summary

• Department of Health must track and publicly report monthly data on crisis reports, emergency mental health transports, assisted community treatment examinations and petitions, court orders for treatment, administrative authorizations for treatment, and involuntary hospitalization petitions.

• Department of Health shall dispatch staff to assist persons with severe mental illness who contact the department through any means, and assess whether they meet criteria for assisted community treatment; if criteria are met, the department must coordinate completion of examination, certificate preparation, and petition filing.

• Court denial of an involuntary commitment petition must be reported to the Department of Health within 24 hours, triggering an assessment for assisted community treatment eligibility and potential petition filing if criteria are met.

• Appropriations are provided for software procurement, website development, and three new full-time equivalent positions (coordinator, data specialist, and epidemiologist) to implement the data tracking and reporting requirements.

• Additional appropriations are provided for statewide media, education, and training activities related to emergency mental health examination, hospitalization, and assisted community treatment policies; effective date is December 31, 2050.