As the next Legislative session approaches, we are seeing early drafts of proposals made public. Last week the Senate Republican Caucus released a series of proposals to address the state’s beleaguered behavioral health system. We would appreciate any feedback cities have on the merits of these proposals. The following is a summary, with more details available here:

1. A proposal to approve $500 million in bonds ($250 m from the state and $250 m to be approved by the voters) to build community-based mental health facilities to support the transition away from the large state hospitals.
2. A bill creating a guardianship program for individuals who are severely disabled by their mental health or chemical dependency. The guardian would have the authority to make treatment decisions on the individual’s behalf. The proposal includes requirements for treatment plans and other policies to provide for sideboards. There will certainly be discussions about the appropriate balance between personal rights and helping people get care that they may not seek for themselves.
3. A bill making it easier for out-of-state certified healthcare providers to practice in the state.
4. Expansion of the Offender Re-Entry Community Safety Program that provides services and case management for released prisoners with serious mental illness.
5. A bill providing for telehealth delivery in schools.

As a reminder, AWC will be engaging on these behavioral health issues because cities are experiencing the ramifications of an overwhelmed mental health and drug abuse response system. City streets are where the consequences of an underfunded mental health and chemical dependency system stand out. We are advocating for the state to make investments sufficient to improve access to these systems and to improve their success across all regions of the state.