Public Health Committee
AN ACT CONCERNING VARIOUS REVISIONS TO STATUTES CONCERNING THE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION SERVICES
SUMMARY: This act makes minor, technical, and conforming changes to various Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) statutes. It:
1. permits, rather than requires, the DMHAS commissioner to adopt regulations regarding (a) methadone treatment programs and (b) the use of department facilities and services by self-help groups (e. g. , Alcoholics Anonymous);
2. replaces statutory references to Connecticut Valley Hospital's (CVH) acute care division with CVH's addictions, general psychiatric, and Whiting Forensic divisions;
3. replaces statutory references to “immediate care beds” with “immediate duration acute psychiatric care beds” to conform with federal Medicaid law regarding the certification of these beds in general hospitals;
4. repeals the inactive Community Mental Health Strategy Board and references to it and the Community Mental Health Strategic Investment Fund;
5. removes a statutory reference to Cedarcrest Hospital which, pursuant to a settlement agreement, terminated its psychiatric inpatient services as of January 6, 2011; and
6. repeals the State Administered General Assistance Behavioral Health Program, which was merged into the Department of Social Services Medicaid Low-Income Adult program in April 2010.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2011
BACKGROUND
Cedarcrest Hospital
Cedarcrest Hospital's psychiatric division, Cedar Ridge Hospital, was a 103-bed inpatient facility located in Newington and operated by DHMAS. In December 2009, DHMAS filed a certificate of need application with the Department of Public Health's Office of Health Care Access (OHCA) to terminate acute care psychiatric and residential step-down services at Cedar Ridge Hospital. OHCA issued a settlement agreement to close Cedar Ridge by June 30, 2010. DHMAS terminated Cedarcrest's psychiatric inpatient services effective January 6, 2011.
Community Mental Health Strategy Board
This 21-member board is charged with developing annual strategic and financial plans to guide the DMHAS commissioner's disbursements from the Community Mental Health Strategic Investment Fund. It is composed of members appointed by the governor and legislative leaders and various state agency heads (most of whom are not voting members). The board has not met since 2008.
Community Mental Health Strategic Investment Fund
The Community Mental Health Strategic Investment Fund provides assistance to adults and children with mental illness by developing new or expanded community-based facilities, mental health services, and supportive housing. The fund has two subaccounts: Community Mental Health Restoration and Supportive Housing Enhancement. These funds have been transferred to the DHMAS budget.
OLR Tracking: ND: RC: PF: df