Revision: March 27, 2014, midnight
SB 270 – AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE
02/19/14 0502s
2014 SESSION
01/05
SENATE BILL 270
AN ACT establishing a commission to study mental health implementation in New Hampshire.
SPONSORS: Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Rep.?M.?Smith, Straf 6; Rep. Pantelakos, Rock 25
COMMITTEE: Health, Education and Human Services
This bill establishes a commission to study mental health implementation in New Hampshire.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
02/19/14 0502s
14-2705
01/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fourteen
AN ACT establishing a commission to study mental health implementation in New Hampshire.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 New Section; Commission to Study Mental Health Implementation in New Hampshire. Amend RSA 135-C by inserting after section 63-a the following new section:
135-C:63-b Commission to Study Mental Health Implementation in New Hampshire.
I. There is established a commission to study mental health implementation in New Hampshire. The members of the commission shall be as follows:
(a) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
(b) One member of the senate, appointed by the senate minority leader.
(c) One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(d) One member of the house of representatives, appointed by the house minority leader.
(e) The commissioner of the department of health and human services, or designee.
(f) The commissioner of the department of education, or designee.
(g) The commissioner of the department of safety, or designee.
(h) The commissioner of the department of corrections, or designee.
(i) The commissioner of the department of employment security, or designee.
(j) The director of the division of children, youth and families, or designee.
(k) The director of the state office of veterans affairs, or designee.
(l) A public member, appointed by the governor.
(m) A psychiatrist, appointed by the New Hampshire Psychiatric Society.
(n) A representative of the New Hampshire Community Behavioral Health Association, appointed by the association.
(o) A representative of the National Alliance on Mental Illness New Hampshire, appointed by such agency.
(p) A representative of New Futures, appointed by the organization.
(q) A representative of the New Hampshire Medical Society, appointed by the society.
(r) The executive director of the New Hampshire Hospital Association, appointed by the association.
(s) A professor of the University of New Hampshire cooperative extension, appointed by the director of the extension.
(t) The superintendent of the Strafford county jail or other superintendent, appointed by the superintendents of county jails.
(u) A representative of the New Hampshire Disability Rights Center, appointed by the center.
(v) The executive director of the Endowment for Health, or designee, appointed by the endowment.
(w) A representative of the New Hampshire Psychological Association, appointed by the association.
(x) A representative of the New Hampshire Association for Infant Mental Health, appointed by the association.
(y) A representative of the Peer Support Agencies, appointed by the Peer Support Agency executive directors.
(z) A representative of the New Hampshire Children’s Behavioral Health Collaborative, appointed by the collaborative.
(aa) The director of the New Hampshire office of minority health and refugee affairs, or designee.
(bb) A member of the state committee on aging, appointed by the committee members.
(cc) A representative of the New Hampshire Alcohol and Other Drug Service Providers Association, appointed by the association.
(dd) A representative from the New Hampshire Juvenile Court Diversion Network, appointed by the network.
(ee) The director of New Hampshire Kids Count, or designee.
(ff) The executive director of the New Hampshire Nurses’ Association, or designee.
II. Legislative members of the commission shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the commission.
III.(a) Recognizing the need for an integrated system of mental health care across all ages and all interested parties, the commission’s study shall include, but not be limited to:
(1) Reviewing all current reports addressing mental health in New Hampshire.
(2) Reviewing other states reports on the status of mental health in such states.
(3) Assessing the degree to which lack of resources, facilities, and professional personnel are contributing to the growing emergence of mental health issues in New Hampshire’s population.
(4) Assessing to what degree current efforts to address mental illness in New Hampshire serves youths, seniors, veterans, and minority populations.
(b) The commission shall hold 4 public hearings throughout different regions of the state to solicit citizen information and input on mental health issues.
(c) The commission shall take direct testimony and written input from individuals who are currently or have been formally served by or involved with the mental health service delivery system and families of people with mental illness.
(d) The commission may solicit information from any person or entity the commission deems relevant to the commission’s objective.
(e) The commission shall make every effort to avoid issues specified in the mental health lawsuit settlement agreement in order to allow the mental health settlement to be implemented without hindrance.
IV. The members of the commission shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the commission shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the commission shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Sixteen members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.
V. On or before November 1, 2014, the commission shall submit an interim report of its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the senate clerk, the house clerk, the governor, and the state library. The commission shall provide a final report of its findings and recommendations on or before November 1, 2015. In addition to proposals for legislation, the final report shall also include detailed findings and recommendations relative to the needs of adults who have a mental illness or are in recovery, children with serious emotional disorders, and their families.
2 Repeal. RSA 135-C:63-b, relative to a commission to study mental health in New Hampshire, is repealed.
3 Effective Date.
I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect November 1, 2015.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.