KY HB485

Amends Kentucky's involuntary hospitalization law (KRS Chapter 202A) to add "benefit from treatment" as a new defined term and expands the definition of "danger" to include persons with severe mental illness who cannot provide for basic needs like shelter, food, clothing, or medical treatment without assistance

Creates new procedures allowing courts to order community-based outpatient treatment for up to 360 days as an alternative to hospitalization, with a cabinet-appointed multidisciplinary team to monitor compliance; substantial failure to comply may result in 72-hour emergency admission

Requires discharge review hearings for patients with severe mental illness who have been involuntarily committed within the past 12 months or found incompetent to stand trial, where courts must find the discharge plan gives a "realistic opportunity to avoid imminent readmittance" before release

Modifies involuntary commitment procedures for defendants found incompetent to stand trial (KRS Chapter 202C) by extending evidentiary hearing timelines from 20 to 45 days, requiring competency evaluations at least every two years, and eliminating separate "heightened review hearings"

Allows petitioners who qualify as "responsible parties" under existing law to motion the court to participate in proceedings and be informed of discharge plans, and sets 30-day expiration periods for court orders that are not served