OH HB281

Expands the list of health care professionals authorized to take persons into custody and transport them to hospitals for mental health evaluation to include professional clinical counselors, independent social workers, independent marriage and family therapists, and certain registered nurses with mental health specialties.

Maintains existing authority for psychiatrists, licensed physicians, licensed clinical psychologists, health officers, parole officers, police officers, and sheriffs to take persons into custody when they believe the person is mentally ill and poses substantial risk of harm to self or others.

Allows the chief of the adult parole authority or parole/probation officers to take parolees and offenders under community control or transitional control into custody and transport them to hospitals when they believe the offender meets mental illness criteria.

Requires written statements from the transporting individual explaining circumstances of custody and belief that the person meets mental hospitalization criteria, and ensures persons taken into custody receive examination within 24 hours and are informed the action is not a criminal arrest.

Permits general hospitals to temporarily admit and treat persons transported under this section, but requires transfer to a licensed mental health hospital within 24 hours.