HB19: HB19 Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Department of; create and maintain electronic inpatient psychiatric bed registry; require

25 LC 61 0039 House Bill 19 By: Representatives Scott of the 76th, Schofield of the 63rd, and Davis of the 87th A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT To amend Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 37 of the Official Cod e of Georgia Annotated,1 relating to general provisions related to examination and treatment for mental illness, so as2 to require the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmenta l Disabilities to create,3 operate, and maintain an electronic registry for inpatient psyc hiatric beds; to provide for4 definitions; to provide for contracting with a third party; to require psychiatric facilities and5 other providers to submit certain information to the department; to provide for accessibility6 to the registry to end users; to provide for an advisory commit tee; to provide for quarterly7 reporting to certain legislative committees; to authorize the department to establish a policy8 for secondary use of registry data; to require the department to provide for registry data to9 the contractor or entity that operates the Georgia Crisis and Access Line; to provide a short10 title; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:12 SECTION 1.13 This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Mental Health Availability and Access14 Act."15 H. B. 19 - 1 - 25 LC 61 0039 SECTION 2.16 Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 37 of the Official Code of Geor gia Annotated, relating to17 general provisions related to examination and treatment for men tal illness, is amended by18 adding a new Code section to read as follows:19 "37-3-9.20 (a) As used in this Code section, the term:21 (1) 'Advisory committee' means the committee established pursuant to subsection (e) of22 this Code section.23 (2) 'Psychiatric facility' shall have the same meaning as 'fac ility' as defined in24 paragraph (7) of Code Section 37-3-1.25 (3) 'Registry' means the electronic inpatient psychiatric bed registry created pursuant to26 subsection (b) of this Code section.27 (b)(1) The department shall establish and administer an electronic inpatient psychiatric28 bed registry. The registry shall be a web based resource to identify available psychiatric29 beds in this state categorized by patient gender, acuteness, ag e, and diagnosis. The30 registry shall be accessible through the department's website.31 (2) The department may, by contract, delegate the creation, operation, and maintenance32 of the registry to a private entity.33 (c) Psychiatric facilities and other providers identified by t he department, who provide34 diagnosis, care, treatment, or hospitalization of persons who a re mentally ill, shall be35 required to provide the department with the number of inpatient psychiatric beds available36 in such facilities or by such other providers at the time the information is provided. The37 information shall be provided by psychiatric facilities and such other providers on a basis38 as close to real time as practicable. Psychiatric facilities and other providers shall provide39 the department with such information as specified under subsection (f) of this Code section.40 (d) The registry shall be made accessible to end users of the registry, including, but not41 limited to, prepaid inpatient health plans, licensed health plans, community mental health42 H. B. 19 - 2 - 25 LC 61 0039 services programs, acute care hospitals, psychiatric facilities, and employees and caregivers43 with other appropriate providers.44 (e) The department shall establish an advisory committee to pr ovide guidance on the45 creation, operation, and maintenance of the registry. The advisory committee shall include46 representatives from the following groups:47 (1) The department;48 (2) The Department of Community Health;49 (3) Psychiatric facilities;50 (4) End users of the registry as described in subsection (d) of this Code section;51 (5) Consumers, families, and advocates; and52 (6) Law enforcement.53 (f) The department, in consultation with the advisory committe e, shall establish54 requirements for reporting information to the department for psychiatric facilities and other55 providers identified by the department.56 (g) The department shall provide quarterly reports on the prog ress of implementing the57 registry beginning on October 1, 2025, to the chairpersons of t he House Committee on58 Health, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, the Hou se Appropriations59 Health Subcommittee, and the Senate Appropriations Health and H uman Development60 Subcommittee.61 (h) The department, in consultation with the advisory committee, may establish a policy62 for the secondary use of registry data.63 (i) The department shall provide all of the information listed on the registry created64 pursuant to this Code section to the contractor or entity that operates or maintains the65 Georgia Crisis and Access Line."66 SECTION 3.67 All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.68 H. B. 19 - 3 -