Minnesota Session Laws - 1986, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1986 

                        CHAPTER 349-H.F.No. 651 
           An act relating to health; authorizing inclusion of 
          physical fitness therapies in grant programs for the 
          mentally ill; providing for study of the 
          administration of mental health services; requiring a 
          report to the legislature; amending Minnesota Statutes 
          1984, sections 245.73, by adding a subdivision; and 
          256E.12, subdivision 1. 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
    Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1984, section 245.73, is 
amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
    Subd. 2a.  [SPECIAL PROGRAMS.] Grants received pursuant to 
this section may be used to fund innovative programs in 
residential facilities, related to structured physical fitness 
programs designed as part of a mental health treatment plan. 
    Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1984, section 256E.12, 
subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
    256E.12 [GRANTS FOR CHRONICALLY MENTALLY ILL PERSONS.] 
    Subdivision 1.  The commissioner shall establish an 
experimental statewide program to assist counties in providing 
services to chronically mentally ill persons.  The commissioner 
shall make grants to counties to establish, operate, or contract 
with private providers to provide services designed to help 
chronically mentally ill persons remain and function in their 
own communities.  Grants received pursuant to this section may 
be used to fund innovative community programs, relating to 
physical fitness programs designed as part of a mental health 
treatment plan. 
    Sec. 3.  [MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES STUDY.] 
    The state planning agency shall study the need for a 
central point in state government to administer a system of 
mental health services.  Alternatives to be studied shall 
include, but not be limited to: 
    (1) the creation of a mental health authority within the 
department of human services, under its commissioner; 
    (2) the creation of a mental health authority within the 
department of health, under its commissioner; and 
    (3) the creation by the legislature of a separate and 
independent department of mental health. 
    Results of the study and recommendations shall be reported 
to the legislature by December 15, 1986. 
    Sec. 4.  [LICENSING FUNCTIONS STUDY.] 
    The state planning agency shall study methods of unifying 
mental health licensing functions presently divided between the 
departments of health and human services, gaining consistency in 
licensing and regulating functions, and attempting to 
consolidate the number of rules promulgated by these 
departments.  In addition, the study shall address methods to 
improve the quality assurance system, including standards, 
mechanisms to monitor, enforcement authority, and make 
recommendations regarding the transfer of mental health 
licensing and quality assurance activities to the commissioner 
of health.  The study must address quality assurance as an 
activity conducted by the state to assess the status of quality 
in a service, to track that status over time, and to improve the 
correspondence between standards and performance.  Results of 
the study and recommendations shall be made to the legislature 
by December 15, 1986. 
    Approved March 19, 1986