HB4841 - Improving Access to State-operated Mental Health Facilities Act

• Department of Human Services, Division of Mental Health shall provide annual education and training to psychiatrists and clinical psychologists using nationally recognized best practices for identifying when forensic patients no longer pose serious risk of harm or can be restored to fitness to stand trial on an outpatient basis.

• Division shall provide annual training to clinical social workers on available community mental health services, and to psychiatrists and clinical psychologists on providing expert testimony in release hearings.

• Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall develop a reimbursement mechanism (supplemental payment or other funding source) within one year to cover additional provider costs for community-based care of forensic patients, including court-mandated appearances and documentation.

• State-operated mental health facilities must develop policies within one year to admit and treat individuals with low-to-moderate medical conditions (such as diabetes) in addition to mental illness, consistent with standards at other psychiatric hospital units.

• Department of Healthcare and Family Services shall implement hospital presumptive eligibility for Medicaid enrollment for individuals in psychiatric crisis presenting to emergency rooms, with coordination to link patients to community-based mental health providers.

• Division shall submit detailed reports to General Assembly by January 1, 2021 and annually thereafter on implementation progress, clinician training participation, forensic patient length of stay, and available inpatient beds.