HB3197 - Suicide Treatment Improvements Act

• All psychiatric facilities must provide one-on-one suicide prevention counseling to at-risk patients by trained counselors available 24/7.

• Insurance coverage required for suicide prevention counseling services under all group and individual health insurance policies and managed care plans amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date.

• Psychiatric facilities prohibited from discharging at-risk patients into homelessness or sending non-threatening at-risk patients to jail.

• Law enforcement responding to situations involving potentially suicidal persons must be accompanied by a suicide prevention counselor and may not use force unless someone present is a threat to others.

• All State and local suicide and crisis hotlines must provide suicide prevention counseling and general counseling; violations subject to civil penalties, employment termination, civil lawsuits, or loss of licensure.