House Bill No. 6645, as amended by House Amendment Schedule "A" and approved by the Legislative Commissioner on May 19, 2023, is an act that requires facilities providing inpatient psychiatric, behavioral health, and substance abuse treatment services to children to notify parents or guardians of certain events. These events, referred to as "notice events," include the start or adjudication of an investigation into circumstances potentially affecting the health, safety, or wellness of children at the facility, disciplinary actions against the facility, the death by suicide of a child at the facility, or the arrest of an employee who has contact with children and is charged with a felony or a crime that is violent, sexual, or concerns a child. The bill specifies that "facility" refers to those licensed by the Department of Children and Families or the Department of Public Health.

The bill mandates that facilities must notify the parent or guardian within 24 hours of a notice event by telephone, electronic mail, or mail, depending on the contact information available. If no contact information is available at the time of the event, the notice must be provided by the next business day. The notification must include a description of the notice event and any actions taken or planned by the facility to ensure the health, safety, or wellness of the children, without including personally identifying information of individuals involved in the notice event. Additionally, within seven days of a notice event, the facility's director or equivalent must submit a written statement to the Department of Children and Families or the Department of Public Health, confirming compliance with the notification requirements. The act is effective from July 1, 2023, and does not anticipate a fiscal impact on the State or municipalities.