The bill amends section 83-338 of the Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, focusing on the admission priorities for state hospitals for the mentally ill. It establishes that state hospitals shall prioritize patients for admission based on specific criteria, including those whose care is necessary for public health and safety, defendants deemed incompetent to stand trial, and patients committed by mental health boards or courts. The previous language that outlined a broader range of admission criteria, including voluntary admissions and considerations for indigent patients, has been removed.

Additionally, the bill mandates that the Department of Health and Human Services provide a weekly report on the capacity and status of state-operated mental health facilities, detailing wait times and capacity associated with each priority category. The original section 83-338 is repealed, indicating a significant restructuring of the admission process for state hospitals for the mentally ill in Nebraska.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 83-338