Behavioral Health Crisis Transition Referral Program

The bill establishes the community transition specialist program (program) in the office of behavioral health (office) in the department of human services (department). The program coordinates referrals of high-risk individuals to transition specialists by certain behavioral health facilities and programs. High-risk individuals are under an emergency or involuntary hold, have a significant mental health or substance use disorder, and are not in consistent behavioral health treatment. Transition specialists provide services related to housing, program placement, access to behavioral health treatment or benefits, advocacy, and other supportive services. The department is required to adopt rules to implement the program. The bill requires the office to collect data and make recommendations to the department, and the department is required to include program information in the department's annual SMART act report.

$1,588,250 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of human services for use by the office of behavioral health to implement the community transition specialist program.

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)