HF 240

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 01/20/2015 11:09am

A bill for an act
relating to judiciary; diverting persons under arrest or subject to arrest from
incarceration to comprehensive mental health programs; establishing a grant
program to fund comprehensive mental health programs; appropriating money;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 245; 628.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [245.4685] GRANTS FOR COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH
PROGRAMS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment; use of grant funds. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of human
services shall establish a grant program to provide grants to counties to develop and
implement comprehensive mental health programs. A comprehensive mental health
program must be designed to meet the needs of individuals who are under arrest or subject
to arrest and who have a mental illness or a co-occurring mental illness and substance use
disorder. Grants distributed under this section may be used to fund the start-up costs and
ongoing operating costs of comprehensive mental health programs. At least 50 percent
of the grant funds must be awarded to counties in greater Minnesota with a high rate of
poverty and limited mental health services.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Required components for eligible program. new text end

new text begin To be eligible for grant
funds under this section, a county must demonstrate that the county's program will
connect with and build upon existing resources, and that the county's program includes
the following components:
new text end

new text begin (1) a plan for rapid, safe handoffs of individuals with mental illness or individuals
with co-occurring disorders from law enforcement to program staff;
new text end

new text begin (2) an initial mental health crisis assessment and chemical dependency screening;
new text end

new text begin (3) mental health crisis intervention and stabilization services;
new text end

new text begin (4) nonhospital crisis stabilization residential beds;
new text end

new text begin (5) rapid access to a psychiatric evaluation, initial treatment, and psychiatric services;
new text end

new text begin (6) detoxification services;
new text end

new text begin (7) case management services;
new text end

new text begin (8) medication management services;
new text end

new text begin (9) health navigator services that include but are not limited to assisting uninsured
individuals in obtaining health care coverage;
new text end

new text begin (10) benefits assistance as defined in section 245.4712, subdivision 3;
new text end

new text begin (11) services to connect individuals to resources to meet their basic needs;
new text end

new text begin (12) services to find, secure, and support individuals in their housing;
new text end

new text begin (13) assisting with job applications and finding and maintaining employment;
new text end

new text begin (14) fostering social support, including support groups, mentoring, peer support, and
other efforts to prevent isolation and promote recovery;
new text end

new text begin (15) providing direct connections to ongoing mental health, chemical health, and
other needed services;
new text end

new text begin (16) providing short-term and long-term housing;
new text end

new text begin (17) assisting county jails in working with offenders with mental health issues; and
new text end

new text begin (18) a plan for services to be developed collaboratively between local criminal
justice and health and human services systems.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Collaboration with local partners. new text end

new text begin A county that receives a grant under
this section is encouraged to include local partners in the private and nonprofit sectors in
the planning and implementation of the county's program.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Grant applications. new text end

new text begin In applying for a grant under this section, a county
must include in its application:
new text end

new text begin (1) the estimated start-up cost of the county's comprehensive mental health program;
new text end

new text begin (2) the estimated operating cost of the county's program;
new text end

new text begin (3) other financial resources the county expects to receive to fund the program's
start-up and operating costs from local units of government, private entities, nonprofit
organizations, and individuals; and
new text end

new text begin (4) how funding for the county's program will be sustained after these grants have
expired.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Program evaluation. new text end

new text begin A program funded under this section must maintain
data on the extent to which the program reduces incarceration rates in the program's
county of operation for individuals with mental illness or individuals with co-occurring
mental illness and substance use disorders, and the extent to which the program reduces
recidivism rates for these individuals. The program must report these outcomes to the
commissioner, at a time and in a manner determined by the commissioner.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Interagency collaboration. new text end

new text begin The commissioner is encouraged to work
with the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and the Department of Corrections to
provide technical assistance and support to counties receiving grants and to prevent the
incarceration of individuals with mental illness or individuals with co-occurring mental
illness and substance use disorders.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [628.70] DIVERSION PROGRAM FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL
ILLNESS OR CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin As used in this section:
new text end

new text begin (1) "diversion program" means a comprehensive mental health program established
by a county participating in the grant program under section 245.4685; and
new text end

new text begin (2) "peace officer" has the meaning given in section 253B.02, subdivision 16.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Diversion. new text end

new text begin A peace officer may refer a person with mental illness or
co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders for whom probable cause exists to
arrest or charge with a misdemeanor to a diversion program on condition that the person
shall not be charged with the misdemeanor upon satisfactory completion of the program.
The peace officer's referral to the diversion program shall be based on criteria established
by the program. A person's satisfactory completion of the program shall be based on
established evidence-based best practices and methodologies for effectively assessing,
diagnosing, and treating persons with mental illness or co-occurring mental illness and
substance use disorders.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION; COMPREHENSIVE MENTAL HEALTH
PROGRAMS.
new text end

new text begin $8,000,000 is appropriated for the 2016-2017 biennium from the general fund to
the commissioner of human services to fund grants to establish comprehensive mental
health programs under Minnesota Statutes, section 245.4685.
new text end