Bill > H3962

This bill aims to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency department boarding by modifying the involuntary hospitalization process for individuals with mental illness. The key provisions include: 1. Requiring mental health professionals to explore and exhaust community-based treatment alternatives, such as telehealth, mobile crisis intervention, and peer support, before seeking involuntary hospitalization. They must document their efforts to find less restrictive alternatives. 2. Allowing law enforcement officers or emergency medical technicians to transport individuals directly to a regional crisis stabilization program for evaluation and treatment in emergency situations where a mental health professional is not available. 3. Establishing a centralized database of available inpatient psychiatric facility capacity to be used by law enforcement, emergency medical technicians, and healthcare professionals to facilitate appropriate placements. 4. Requiring individuals who remain in an emergency department for 48 hours to be informed of their right to request a probable cause hearing to determine if they meet the criteria for emergency detention. 5. Directing the Department of Mental Health to collect and report annually on information related to applications for involuntary hospitalization and any actions taken in response to the data. The overall goal of the bill is to reduce unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency department boarding by promoting the use of less restrictive, community-based treatment options and improving the coordination of mental health services.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H3962