Bill > H0227

This bill aims to establish a two-bed residential peer respite facility in southern Vermont to support individuals experiencing mental health crises. The Department of Mental Health will issue a request for proposals for a facility that provides an alternative to traditional hospitalization, with one bed reserved for up to four-week stays and another for short-term two-week stays. The legislative intent is to increase psychiatric residential beds statewide, provide more compassionate and affordable care options, divert individuals from inpatient settings, and potentially reduce expensive hospital emergency department stays. The bill allocates $515,000 in fiscal year 2026 to contract with an entity to establish and operate the facility, with the goal of having a contract in place by January 1, 2026. A "peer respite facility" is a non-medical, home-like environment where individuals in mental health crisis can receive support from trained peers who have personal experience with mental health challenges, offering an alternative to traditional medical treatment. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Health and Social Services

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.227