Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

H.B. 891
                          GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
                                                                                             Apr 25, 2023
                                      SESSION 2023                                     HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK
     H                                                                                                D
                                   HOUSE BILL DRH40448-MRa-34
     Short Title:   Achieve Better Mental Health Recovery Results.                              (Public)
     Sponsors:      Representative Autry.
     Referred to:
                                     A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT TO ACHIEVE BETTER MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY RESULTS BY
     SUPPORTING PEER-RUN RECOVERY WELLNESS CENTERS, BY CREATING A
     NORTH CAROLINA MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY AND RESILIENCY AGENDA,
     AND BY REQUIRING A MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY POLICY CHIEF WITHIN
     THE DIVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, AND
     SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
     SERVICES.
 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
             SECTION 1.(a) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
 Health and Human Services, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and
 Substance Abuse Services (DMH/DD/SAS), the sum of six hundred thousand dollars ($600,000)
 in nonrecurring funds for the 2023-2024 fiscal year to be allocated to the Promise Resource
 Network for the establishment of four peer-run wellness centers to address mental health crisis
 prevention and post-crisis response. These four peer-run wellness centers shall be located in two
 different urban locations and two different rural locations in this State.
             SECTION 1.(b) No later than September 1, 2024, DMH/DD/SAS shall report on the
 status of the establishment of the four peer-run wellness centers under subsection (a) of this
 section to the Joint Legislative Committee on Health and Human Services. The report shall
 include an estimated time line for the centers to be fully operational and an estimate of the number
 of individuals each center will have the capacity to serve.
             SECTION 2.(a) The title of Part 4 of Article 3 of Chapter 143B of the General
 Statutes reads as rewritten:
    "Part 4. Commission for Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse
                                              Services."
             SECTION 2.(b) Article 3 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes is amended by
 adding a new Part to read:
      "Part 37. Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse
                                               Services.
 "§ 143B-216.90. Mental Health Recovery Policy Chief.
     (a)     The position of Mental Health Recovery Policy Chief is established in the Division
 of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services of the Department
 of Health and Human Services.
     (b)     The role of Mental Health Recovery Policy Chief shall only be held by an individual
 certified as a peer support specialist.
                                   *DRH40448-MRa-34*
     General Assembly Of North Carolina                                                   Session 2023
     (c)      The Mental Health Recovery Policy Chief shall ensure that mental health recovery
 values and outcomes are drivers of State policy and work to engage knowledgeable individuals
 who have experienced mental health recovery and external experts to inform the Division of
 Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services.
 "§ 143B-216.91. NC Mental Health Recovery and Resiliency Agenda.
     (a)      No later than January 31 of each odd calendar year, the Division of Mental Health,
 Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services of the Department of Health and
 Human Services shall publish a biennial NC Mental Health Recovery and Resiliency Agenda on
 its website.
     (b)      The NC Mental Health Recovery and Resiliency Agenda shall set Department of
 Health and Human Services objectives for mental health recovery outcomes. The NC Mental
 Health Recovery and Resiliency Agenda shall provide both short-term and long-term objectives
 and track work done by the Department of Health and Human Services to meet the objectives
 from the prior Agenda.
     (c)      The Mental Health Recovery Policy Chief established under this Part shall ensure that
 individuals with personal experiences of mental health recovery inform the development of each
 NC Mental Health Recovery and Resiliency Agenda."
              SECTION 2.(c) G.S. 143B-150.1 is recodified as G.S. 143B-216.92, under Part 37
 of Article 3 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes, as enacted by subsection (b) of this section.
              SECTION 2.(d) There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of
 Health and Human Services, Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and
 Substance Abuse Services (DMH/DD/SAS), the sum of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000)
 in recurring funds for the 2023-2024 fiscal year and the sum of one hundred thousand dollars
 ($100,000) in recurring funds for the 2024-2025 fiscal year to be used to fund the salary and
 benefits for the Mental Health Recovery Policy Chief position within DMH/DD/SAS, required
 under G.S. 143B-216.90, as enacted by subsection (b) of this section.
              SECTION 3. This act becomes effective July 1, 2023.
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