Community Behavioral Health Disaster Program

The act requires the department of public health and environment (department) to implement the community behavioral health disaster preparedness and response program (program) using existing initiatives and activities to ensure that behavioral health is adequately represented within disaster preparedness and response efforts across the state. The program is intended to enhance, support, and formalize behavioral health disaster preparedness and response activities conducted by community behavioral health organizations.

The act requires the department to promulgate rules as necessary for the oversight and management of the program; work collaboratively with community behavioral heath organizations; create, define, and publish eligibility criteria for community behavioral health organizations to participate in the program; and provide funding to community behavioral health organizations on an annual or as-needed basis for the activities the organizations conduct.

The act appropriates $529,801 and provides an additional 1.8 FTE to the department for use by the office of emergency preparedness response to implement the act.

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