Minnesota Session Laws - 1994, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 515-H.F.No. 2148 
                  An act relating to human services; providing 
                  monitoring and evaluation of emergency health services 
                  on a pilot project basis; authorizing advisory 
                  committees.  
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  [EMERGENCY SERVICES MONITORING; PILOT STUDY AND 
        REPORT.] 
           Subdivision 1.  [ADVISORY COMMITTEES.] By July 1, 1994, the 
        commissioner of human services shall appoint three nine-member 
        advisory committees to evaluate and monitor the emergency adult 
        mental health services in accordance with the pilot study 
        established under subdivision 2.  Each committee shall be made 
        up of members who reside in the county the committee is 
        monitoring.  The commissioner shall consult with advocates for 
        persons with mental illnesses and with the local advisory 
        councils on mental health before appointing the members of the 
        advisory committees.  At least five of the committee members 
        must be chosen from persons who are advocates for persons with 
        mental illness or family members of persons with mental illness, 
        and from persons who have received emergency services under 
        Minnesota Statutes, section 245.469, subdivisions 1 and 2.  
        Members shall not receive per diems but shall be compensated for 
        expenses under Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059.  The advisory 
        committees shall report to the commissioner at such times and in 
        the manner that the commissioner directs, except that the 
        advisory committees shall meet no less than four times between 
        July 1, 1994, and July 1, 1995.  The advisory committees shall 
        expire January 15, 1996. 
           Subd. 2.  [PILOT STUDY.] The pilot study shall be designed 
        to monitor and evaluate three counties in their provision of 
        emergency adult mental health services under Minnesota Statutes, 
        section 245.469.  The three counties shall be selected by the 
        commissioner.  One of the counties must be a metropolitan 
        county, as defined in Minnesota Statutes, section 473.121, 
        subdivision 4, with a city of the first class.  The study must 
        also include a metropolitan county other than Hennepin or Ramsey 
        county, and one county located outside of the metropolitan 
        area.  Counties shall be given the opportunity to participate in 
        the pilot study.  If there is no county requesting to 
        participate, the counties shall be designated by the 
        commissioner.  The purpose of the pilot study will be:  (1) to 
        determine whether the emergency services required by Minnesota 
        Statutes, section 245.469, are being provided for persons in 
        each of the selected counties; (2) to evaluate the sufficiency 
        and quality of services for adult persons with mental illness 
        who are in crisis; and (3) to assess the effectiveness of 
        consumer advocates in monitoring the availability of emergency 
        mental health services.  The commissioner shall submit a report 
        on the study, with findings of the effectiveness of the current 
        emergency mental health services and recommendations to improve 
        the emergency services, to the legislature by January 15, 1996. 
           Presented to the governor April 22, 1994 
           Signed by the governor April 25, 1994, 1:15 p.m.