Secure Transportation Behavioral Health Crisis

The act creates a regulatory and service system to provide secure transportation services, with different requirements from traditional ambulance services, for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The department of human services shall allow for the development of secure transportation alternatives.

The board of county commissioners of the county in which the secure transportation service is based (commissioners) shall issue a license to an entity (licensee), valid for 3 years, that provides secure transportation services if the minimum requirements set by rule by the state board of health are met or exceeded. The commissioners shall also issue operating permits, valid for 12 months following issuance, to each vehicle operated by the licensee. A fee may be charged for each license to reflect the direct and indirect costs to the applicable county in implementing secure transportation services licensure. The state board of health is given authority to promulgate rules concerning secure transportation licensure.

The department of health care policy and financing (department) is directed to create and implement a secure transportation benefit on or before January 1, 2023. The department is required to include information on secure transportation services and benefits in its annual "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act" report.

The act exempts secure transportation services from regulation under the public utilities commission.

For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $46,800 to the department of health care policy and financing for use by the executive director's office, of which $39,993 is from the general fund and is $6,807 from the healthcare affordability and sustainability fee cash fund and provides 0.9 FTE.

For the 2021-22 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $46,490 from the general fund to the department of public health and environment for use by the health facilities and emergency medical services division and provides 0.6 FTE.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)