04/12/2022 01:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

              SB 124-MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES & MEDS                                                                        
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:51:58 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR   WILSON  reconvened   the   meeting   and  announced   the                                                               
consideration  of  SENATE  BILL  NO.  124  "An  Act  relating  to                                                               
admission to and detention at  a subacute mental health facility;                                                               
establishing a definition for  'subacute mental health facility';                                                               
establishing  a  definition   for  'crisis  residential  center';                                                               
relating to  the definitions  for 'crisis  stabilization center';                                                               
relating to  the administration  of psychotropic medication  in a                                                               
crisis situation; relating to  licensed facilities; and providing                                                               
for an effective date."                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
He noted  that this was the  ninth hearing and the  committee had                                                               
worked through all the amendments.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
1:52:17 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON solicited a motion.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
1:52:25 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR HUGHES moved  to adopt [the committee  substitute for] SB
, work order 32-GS1730\I, as the working document.                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
1:52:36 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON objected for discussion  purposes. He explained that                                                               
version I incorporates all the  amendments that passed during the                                                               
previous hearings and it also amends  the language in what is now                                                               
Section 29 to conform to  Emergency Order 121 and the bifurcation                                                               
of the Department of Health  and Social Services (DHSS). Items in                                                               
Section 29 refer to the Department of Health.                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
1:53:03 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON  found no  questions and  removed his  objection; he                                                               
found  no further  objection, and  version I  was adopted  as the                                                               
working document.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
1:53:31 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR  WILSON   discerned  there  were  no   questions  from  the                                                               
administration.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
1:53:37 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  HUGHES  said  she  was  committed  to  giving  the  bill                                                               
additional  scrutiny  in  the  next   committee  of  referral.  A                                                               
question  that  came up  among  her  constituents was  whether  a                                                               
person could be taken to  a crisis stabilization center for their                                                               
beliefs. On  three separate occasions  the committee  was assured                                                               
on the record  that is not the  case. That is the  intent in this                                                               
bill, which is one reason for it to pass.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGHES also  noted the concerns about the  potency of the                                                               
medications  that  may  be  used,  but  it  has  been  emphasized                                                               
repeatedly that they are used as  a last resort to prevent injury                                                               
or  death.  She  added  that  she  was  aware  of  a  faith-based                                                               
organization in her area that  was interested in opening a crisis                                                               
stabilization center  and if  she had a  family member  in crisis                                                               
she would prefer to have this  bill in place so her family member                                                               
could go to this center instead  of jail or a hospital. Those are                                                               
the  options today  and being  detained in  either a  hospital or                                                               
jail  is  more restrictive  and  less  humane than  these  crisis                                                               
centers.  These centers  are essentially  outpatient clinics  and                                                               
the  person in  crisis would  be able  to have  a friend,  family                                                               
member, or paster be there too.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR HUGHES highlighted  that the bill was  also improved from                                                               
the initial  version in  terms of  notification and  consent. The                                                               
committee also heard from Mr.  Gottstein about the patient rights                                                               
that the bill addresses. She said  the bill still needs work, but                                                               
it  is far  better  than  the status  quo  and  therefore she  is                                                               
supporting passage.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
1:57:37 PM                                                                                                                    
SENATOR  HUGHES moved  to report  CSSB 124(HSS),  work order  32-                                                               
GS1730\I,  from  committee  with individual  recommendations  and                                                               
attached fiscal note(s).                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:57:51 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR WILSON  found no objection  and CSSB 124(HSS)  was reported                                                               
from the Senate Health and Social Services Standing Committee.