Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to present law.
Act 802 of the Regular Session
1 State of Arkansas As Engrossed: H3/29/21
2 93rd General Assembly A Bill
3 Regular Session, 2021 HOUSE BILL 1689
4
5 By: Representatives Vaught, Gazaway, M. Gray
6
7 For An Act To Be Entitled
8 AN ACT TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE STUDY ON
9 MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
10
11
12 Subtitle
13 TO CREATE THE ARKANSAS LEGISLATIVE STUDY
14 ON MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH.
15
16
17 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
18
19 SECTION 1. TEMPORARY LANGUAGE. DO NOT CODIFY. Arkansas Legislative
20 Study on Mental and Behavioral Health Creation Duties.
21 (a)(1) The Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor and
22 the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor shall meet to
23 conduct the Arkansas Legislative Study on Mental Health.
24 (b)(1) The Chair of the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare,
25 and Labor and the Chair of the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and
26 Labor shall call the first meeting for the purpose of beginning the study
27 within sixty (60) days of the effective date of this act.
28 (2) The Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor
29 and the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor shall meet at
30 least one (1) time every two (2) months in order to conduct the study but may
31 meet more often at the call of the Chair of the Senate Committee on Public
32 Health, Welfare, and Labor and the Chair of the House Committee on Public
33 Health, Welfare, and Labor.
34 (c) The purpose of the study is to assess the strengths and weaknesses
35 of the mental and behavioral health resources and care currently available in
36 the State of Arkansas and to recommend legislation to the General Assembly
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 As Engrossed: H3/29/21 HB1689
1 regarding best practices and improvements within the area of mental and
2 behavioral health care for consideration during the 2023 Regular Session.
3 (d) In order to achieve the purpose of this section, the Senate
4 Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor and the House Committee on
5 Public Health, Welfare, and Labor shall study the following:
6 (1) Access to and availability of mental and behavioral health
7 care within this state;
8 (2) Existing mental and behavioral healthcare facilities in this
9 state;
10 (3) Medicaid programs regarding mental and behavioral health and
11 other public and private medical reimbursements for mental and behavioral
12 healthcare providers and facilities within and without this state;
13 (4) Best practices for provision of mental ad behavioral health
14 services;
15 (5) Mental and behavioral health programs in other states;
16 (6) The utilization and financial condition of the crisis
17 stabilization units and the Arkansas State Hospital;
18 (7) Transportation of mental and behavioral health patients in
19 Arkansas;
20 (8) The rate of deaths by suicide of school-aged children in
21 this state;
22 (9) Mental health screenings and suicide prevention measures for
23 children in kindergarten through grade twelve (K-12); and
24 (10) Other matters related to mental and behavioral health
25 services.
26 (e)(1) On or before December 1, 2022, the Senate Committee on Public
27 Health, Welfare, and Labor and the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare,
28 and Labor shall file with the Legislative Council a final written report of
29 their activities, findings, and recommendations.
30 (2) Upon filing, the Arkansas Legislative Study on Mental and
31 Behavioral Health shall be complete.
32
33 /s/Vaught
34
35 APPROVED: 4/20/21
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