HF 4372 Summary

• Commissioner of human services establishes a competitive grant program for medical providers and nonprofits to create urgency rooms serving youths age 25 and under experiencing mental health crises as an alternative to hospital emergency room admission.

• Eligible applicants include existing medical providers, nonprofits providing mental health services, and nonprofits in underserved or rural communities partnering with medical providers; all must employ licensed mental health specialists and accommodate 72-hour stays.

• Grant funds may be used for expanding or building urgency rooms, conducting medical and mental health evaluations, developing care plans, and providing recommendations for further inpatient or outpatient care.

• Grantees must submit annual reports to the commissioner detailing fund spending, number of youths served, and achievement of program goals; commissioner must provide public annual reports to legislative committees with human services jurisdiction.

• An unspecified amount from the general fund is appropriated for fiscal year 2023 as a one-time appropriation for the grant program.