HOUSE BILL 247

52nd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2016

INTRODUCED BY

Sheryl Williams Stapleton and Deborah A. Armstrong and W. Ken Martinez

AN ACT

RELATING TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH; PROVIDING FOR INTERVENTIONS FOR NONVIOLENT OFFENDERS WHO HAVE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH DIAGNOSES IN WAYS LIKELY TO REDUCE RECIDIVISM, DETENTION AND INCARCERATION; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. Section 9-8-7.1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 2007, Chapter 325, Section 4) is amended to read:

     "9-8-7.1. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES DIVISION--POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT.--Subject to appropriation, the department shall:

          A. contract for behavioral health treatment and support services, including mental health, alcoholism and other substance abuse services;

          B. establish standards for the delivery of behavioral health services, including quality management and improvement, performance measures, accessibility and availability of services, utilization management, credentialing and recredentialing, rights and responsibilities of providers, preventive behavioral health services, clinical treatment and evaluation and the documentation and confidentiality of client records;

          C. ensure that all behavioral health services, including mental health and substance abuse services, that are provided, contracted for or approved are in compliance with the requirements of Section 9-7-6.4 NMSA 1978;

          D. assume responsibility for and implement adult mental health and substance abuse services in the state in coordination with the children, youth and families department;

          E. for nonviolent adult and juvenile offenders who have behavioral health diagnoses, create, implement and continually evaluate the effectiveness of a framework for targeted, individualized interventions that address those persons' behavioral health needs and connect them to resources and services that reduce the likelihood of recidivism, detention and incarceration, such as supportive housing, public assistance, medical assistance, behavioral health therapy and employment training;

          [E.] F. establish criteria for determining individual eligibility for behavioral health services; and

          [F.] G. maintain a management information system in accordance with standards for reporting clinical and fiscal information."

     SECTION 2. APPROPRIATION.--Two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the behavioral health services division of the human services department for expenditure in fiscal year 2017 to carry out the provisions of this act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2017 shall revert to the general fund.

     SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2016.

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