CO. AGREEMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE                                             S.B. 558 (S-3):

                                                                                                      FLOOR SUMMARY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senate Bill 558 (Substitute S-3 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)

Sponsor:  Senator Tonya Schuitmaker

Committee:  Judiciary

 

CONTENT

 

The bill would amend the Mental Health Code to require each county to have a written interagency agreement to provide mental health treatment and assistance, if permitted by law and considered appropriate, to people with serious mental illness who were considered at risk for one or more of the following:

 

 --    Entering the criminal justice system.

 --    Not receiving needed mental health treatment services during a period of incarceration in a county jail.

 --    Not receiving needed mental health treatment services upon release or discharge form incarceration in a county jail.

 --    Being committed to the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections.

 

A county that already had a written interagency agreement could maintain it, but would have to ensure that it contained all of the provisions required by the bill.  A county would have to spend funds for the program described in an interagency agreement only to the extent appropriated annually by the Legislature for the program.

 

Parties to the interagency agreement would have to include at least the county sheriff's department; the county prosecutor's office; the community mental health services program that provided services in that county; the county board of commissioners; a district court judge; and a circuit court judge.

 

An agreement would have to cover all of the areas listed in the bill.  The Department of Community Health (DCH), the State Court Administrative Office, and parties to the agreement could establish additional policies and procedures to be included in it.  The DCH could promulgate rules to implement the bill.

 

Proposed MCL 330.1207a                                          Legislative Analyst:  Patrick Affholter

 

FISCAL IMPACT

 

The bill specifies that counties would not be required to provide their own funds to support the program.  There would be minor administrative costs to the State to establish policies and procedures and to promulgate rules.  To the extent that the diversion of cases from the judicial system to treatment resulted in lower jail and prison costs, both State and local government could realize indeterminate savings.

 

Date Completed:  12-10-13                                               Fiscal Analyst:  Steve Angelotti

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.