2017 -- H 5578

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LC001328

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND

HOSPITALS -- GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON BEHAVIOR HEALTH

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Donovan, Casimiro, Carson, Ackerman, and Kazarian

     Date Introduced: February 16, 2017

     Referred To: House Health, Education & Welfare

     (Dept. of BHDDH)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 40.1-29-2, 40.1-29-3, 40.1-29-4, 40.1-29-5 and 40.1-29-6 of the

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General Laws in Chapter 40.1-29 entitled "Governor's Council on Behavioral Health" are hereby

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amended to read as follows:

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     40.1-29-2. Legislative purpose.

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     The purpose of the council is to advise the governor and general assembly on policies,

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goals and operations of the behavioral health program, including the program areas of substance

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abuse use disorder and mental health, and on other matters the director of mental health,

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retardation, behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals refers to it and to

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encourage public understanding and support of the behavioral health program.

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     40.1-29-3. Members.

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     (a) The council shall consist of twenty-six (26) thirty-one (31) voting members.

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     (1) There shall be four (4) members of the legislature, two (2) shall be from the senate

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and shall be appointed by the lieutenant governor senate president to serve for their legislative

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term, one from each of the major political parties, and two (2) shall be from the house of

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representatives and shall be appointed by the speaker to serve for their legislative term, one from

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each of the two (2) major political parties.

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     (2) The non-legislative members shall be the executive director of the Drug and Alcohol

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Treatment Association, the executive director of the Council of Community Mental Health

 

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Organizations Substance Use and Mental Health Leadership Council of RI, the mental health

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advocate, the child advocate and a representative of the AFL-CIO to be appointed by the

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governor.

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     (3) The remaining eighteen (18) twenty-three (23) public members shall be appointed by

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and serve at the pleasure of the governor and shall represent such community interests as

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substance abuse use disorder treatment and prevention professionals, youth with behavioral health

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challenges or their representatives, consumers of substance abuse use disorder programs and their

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families, mental health treatment professionals, adult and elderly consumers of mental health

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services and their families, families of children who are consumers of mental health and

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substance abuse services, the judiciary, criminal justice officials and local government officials.

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     (4) Not less than fifty (50%) percent of the public members shall be individuals who are

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not state employees or providers of behavioral health services.

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     (5) There shall be sufficient representation by the families of children who are consumers

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of mental health and substance abuse use disorder services in order to ensure adequate

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representation of such children.

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     (6) Every effort shall be made to ensure that appointed members represent the cultural

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diversity of the state.

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     (7) All members shall have demonstrable expertise in, or experience with substance

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abuse use disorders or mental health services in Rhode Island. In addition, the directors or their

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designees of the departments of children, youth, and families; corrections; education; health;

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human services; elderly affairs and mental health, retardation, behavioral healthcare,

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developmental disabilities and hospitals and the division of elderly affairs; the attorney general or

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designee and the executive director of the Rhode Island justice commission shall serve as ex

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officio and without a vote as members of the council.

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     (b) Any vacancy which may occur in the council shall be filled in the same manner as the

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original appointments.

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     (c) The governor shall designate one member as the chairperson of the council.

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     40.1-29-4. Meetings.

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     The council shall meet at least six (6) times a year. Failure to attend three (3) meetings in

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a year may result in a recommendation of removal from the council to the governor or other

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appropriate appointing authority. A quorum at the meeting shall consist of seven (7) voting

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members present.

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     40.1-29-5. Functions.

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     The functions of the council shall be:

 

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     (1) To review and evaluate the behavioral health needs and problems in the state and

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propose such recommendations as are appropriate;

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     (2) To stimulate and seek the development and coordination of all programs relating to

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behavioral health, including, but not limited to, such areas as care and treatment, prevention,

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manpower, research and public education;

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     (3) To encourage interdisciplinary approaches to combating, treating and preventing

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substance abuse use disorders and mental illness, focusing in particular on integrating support

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systems for behavioral health care;

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     (4) To act as the advisory committee to the department of mental health, retardation,

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behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals and the governor on any funds

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made available to the department by the federal government for substance abuse use disorders

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and/or mental health treatment and prevention purposes;

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     (5) To stimulate and investigate research as it affects planning and implementation of

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behavioral health care systems in the health care environment;

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     (6) To make an annual report to the governor and the general assembly during the month

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of January, setting forth:

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     (i) The nature and extent of the behavioral health care problems in the state;

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     (ii) Such information and recommendations as the council deems necessary to deal with

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the problems as documented;

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     (iii) A review of the council's activities during the preceding year, including but not

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limited to, reports relative to activity, performance and need;

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     (iv) Any plans developed by the council to deal with the behavioral health care problems

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identified by the council;

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     (v) Other recommendations as may be appropriate and in the public interest.

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     40.1-29-6. Staff and employees.

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     The director of mental health, retardation, behavioral healthcare, developmental

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disabilities and hospitals shall provide the council with such professional and secretarial staff and

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other support as shall be appropriate for it to carry out its designated functions. The director of the

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department of children, youth, and families and the director of the department division of elderly

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affairs shall provide the council with such additional professional and secretarial staff and other

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employees as shall be appropriate for the council to carry out functions related to the respective

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responsibilities of these departments. All departments and agencies of the state shall furnish any

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advice and information, documentary and otherwise, to the council that is deemed necessary to

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fulfill the purpose and functions of the council.

 

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES AND

HOSPITALS -- GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL ON BEHAVIOR HEALTH

***

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     This act would increase the membership and change the composition of the governor's

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council on behavioral health from twenty-six (26) to thirty-one (31) voting members and would

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make technical amendments to reflect the current names of state departments/divisions/agencies

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enumerated in the statute.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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