Bill > HB622

This bill establishes the Mental Health and Community Wellness Act, which makes several significant changes to Ohio's legal and mental health treatment frameworks. The bill amends existing laws related to competency to stand trial, requiring prosecutors to file for civil confinement of defendants found incompetent to stand trial who are charged with felonies or violent misdemeanors. It introduces a new definition for "person with a mental illness subject to court order" with detailed criteria for mental health intervention. The legislation also creates a mental health and substance abuse community-based correctional facility pilot program, which will be located in Lucas County near the Toledo Correctional Institution. The Department of Rehabilitation and Correction will be responsible for identifying treatment locations within community-based correctional facilities, acquiring medications, and hiring specialized staff to support mental health and substance abuse treatment. Additionally, the bill appropriates $26 million for the construction of the facility and requires the Medicaid Director to seek a federal demonstration waiver to provide mental health and substance use disorder treatment services to program participants. The changes aim to improve mental health treatment and support for individuals involved in the criminal justice system, with a focus on providing more comprehensive and targeted interventions.

Justice

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb622