The bill proposes to change the name of the "Mental Health Oversight Advisory Council" to the "Behavioral Health Advisory Council." This change is reflected in the amendment to Section 53-21-702 of the Montana Code Annotated (MCA), where the term "mental health" is deleted and replaced with "behavioral health." The advisory council will continue to provide input to the Department of Public Health and Human Services regarding the development and management of the public mental health system, ensuring that it includes diverse representation from consumers of mental health services, advocates, and other stakeholders.

Additionally, the bill maintains the existing framework for the public mental health care system, which includes establishing eligibility standards for mental health services, developing a delivery system, and ensuring that local advisory councils report to the newly named Behavioral Health Advisory Council. The department is also empowered to set resource and income standards for eligibility that may be more lenient than those for physical health services, and it can establish fees and copayments based on family income. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the focus on behavioral health while ensuring comprehensive support and representation within the advisory council.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 53-21-702
SB0144_1(1): 53-21-702
SB0144_1(2): 53-21-702
SB0144_1(3): 53-21-702
SB0144_1(4): 53-21-702
SB0144_1(5): 53-21-702
SB0144_1(6): 53-21-702
SB0144_1: 53-21-702
SB0144_2: 53-21-702
SB0144_X(1): 53-21-702
SB0144_X(10): 53-21-702
SB0144_X(2): 53-21-702
SB0144_X(3): 53-21-702
SB0144_X(4): 53-21-702
SB0144_X(5): 53-21-702
SB0144_X(6): 53-21-702
SB0144_X(7): 53-21-702
SB0144_X(8): 53-21-702
SB0144_X(9): 53-21-702
SB0144_X: 53-21-702