Senate Bill 1247 Summary

• Establishes Chapter 19, Title 56, Idaho Code to create a crisis response framework for persons with neurocognitive disorders in acute medical crises, enabling involuntary protective custody and treatment in hospitals without initial court order.

• Allows peace officers and health care providers to place persons with neurocognitive disorders in protective custody at hospitals if they likely will injure themselves or others, with evidence presented to court within 24 hours and examination by health care provider within 24 hours.

• Requires court hearings within 5-7 days to determine whether protective custody should continue for up to 7 days, with appointed counsel provided to the person and full procedural protections including the right to cross-examine witnesses.

• Mandates hospitals report quarterly to the Department of Health and Welfare on emergency protective placements, including numbers by placement type, presence of underlying medical conditions, and patient length of stay breakdowns.

• Establishes cost responsibility framework where the Department of Health and Welfare pays for routine medical care during protective custody using Medicaid rates, with persons required to reimburse based on ability to pay using a state-approved sliding fee schedule.

• Becomes effective October 1, 2024 as an emergency measure.