The bill amends the Court Supervised Treatment Program Act to broaden its focus to include mental health treatment alongside substance use disorder treatment. It allows court-supervised treatment programs to accept participants from any jurisdiction within the state and permits public defenders to serve as team members, representing participants during legal proceedings. The legislation updates terminology by changing "substance abuse" to "substance use disorder" and introduces new definitions related to mental health treatment and dual diagnosis, which pertains to individuals facing both substance use disorders and mental health issues. Additionally, the bill emphasizes the need to address unmet mental health needs, aiming to decrease the number of individuals with mental illness in jails and hospitals.

Furthermore, the bill revises existing laws concerning penalties for driving under the influence (DUI) and related offenses, specifically altering terminology for substance assessments and treatment. It replaces "abuse" with "use disorder" in various sections, including requirements for substance use disorder assessments for offenders. For a third DUI offense, a minimum jail sentence of thirty days is mandated, with the possibility of a fifteen-day reduction for completing an approved inpatient treatment program. The bill also maintains misdemeanor classifications for youthful drivers with detectable alcohol concentrations while allowing for substance use disorder assessments as a condition of probation. It repeals certain existing provisions and grants the supreme court authority to establish additional rules to support court-supervised treatment programs, with the act taking effect immediately upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 5-12-107, 5-12-109