HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 491 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE WALSH MOORE.
2789H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
WHEREAS, the Missouri Association of Public Administrators (MAPA) is the 2 statewide organization representing county public administrators, who serve as court- 3 appointed guardians and conservators for Missouri's most vulnerable citizens, including those 4 with mental health disabilities, brain injuries, developmental disabilities, and advanced age 5 conditions such as dementia; and 6 7 WHEREAS, MAPA has consistently advocated for adequate resources, both for their 8 county offices and for alternative community placements, to ensure proper care for 9 individuals with mental disabilities and has worked to protect their safety and well-being 10 despite budget cuts, increased caseloads, and a lack of community-based care options; and 11 12 WHEREAS, the recent report by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) highlights the 13 improper assignment of guardianship and use of nursing facilities for housing individuals 14 with mental disabilities and underscores the urgent need for more appropriate community- 15 based services to support their care. The DOJ's findings reaffirm the critical shortage of 16 mental health resources in Missouri, which has been raised by MAPA for years, including in a 17 2020 report published on the Department of Mental Health's website; and 18 19 WHEREAS, MAPA acknowledges that nursing facilities are often unsuitable for 20 individuals with severe mental health challenges who require higher levels of supervision, 21 behavioral support, and therapeutic care. Despite this, the lack of adequate community 22 resources for alternative placements makes it impossible to effectively transition these 23 individuals into less restrictive settings as demanded by the DOJ; and 24 25 WHEREAS, recent actions by the federal government, including the closure of large 26 behavioral health facilities, have left many individuals without suitable placements, 27 exacerbating the risk of homelessness, overburdening hospitals, and increasing pressure on 28 the criminal justice system: 29 HR 491 2
30 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we, the members of the Missouri 31 House of Representatives, One Hundred Third General Assembly, First Regular Session, 32 hereby: 33 34 (1) Recognize the critical role of public administrators in caring for individuals with 35 mental health disabilities and call for immediate state and federal action to increase funding 36 for mental health services, expand community-based care options, and strengthen programs to 37 ensure care for those in need twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week; 38 39 (2) Urge the development of a comprehensive system to support the safe and effective 40 transition of individuals with mental disabilities out of guardianship and into community 41 settings only when sufficient resources are in place to guarantee their safety and integration 42 into society; 43 44 (3) Urge the general assembly to establish a dedicated committee tasked with 45 exploring the issue of inadequate placements and treatment options across communities and 46 work to identify gaps in current resources and propose actionable solutions aimed at ensuring 47 all individuals have access to appropriate, effective, and accessible treatment and placement 48 options; 49 50 (4) Urge the House budget committee to thoroughly explore the issue of inadequate 51 placements and treatment options within communities and to develop budgetary 52 recommendations that address these critical needs; and 53 54 (5) Call upon the state of Missouri and its agencies to increase collaboration and 55 communication with public administrators and other stakeholders to create lasting, forward- 56 moving solutions that ensure the dignity, safety, and care of the state's most vulnerable 57 citizens. ✔