PRINTER'S NO. 1078
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
858
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY D. MILLER, COHEN, KORTZ, KOTIK, FRANKEL, DAVIDSON,
BROWNLEE, DONATUCCI, PASHINSKI, LONGIETTI, V. BROWN, HARKINS,
CALTAGIRONE, SCHLOSSBERG, D. COSTA, DeLUCA, ROZZI, DEASY,
MURT AND McCARTER, APRIL 6, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, APRIL 6, 2015
AN ACT
Amending the act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), entitled "An
act relating to health care; prescribing the powers and
duties of the Department of Health; establishing and
providing the powers and duties of the State Health
Coordinating Council, health systems agencies and Health Care
Policy Board in the Department of Health, and State Health
Facility Hearing Board in the Department of Justice;
providing for certification of need of health care providers
and prescribing penalties," in general provisions, providing
for acute mental health bed registry and referrals.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of July 19, 1979 (P.L.130, No.48), known
as the Health Care Facilities Act, is amended by adding a
section to read:
Section 901.1. Acute mental health bed registry and referrals.
(a) The department shall develop and maintain a web-based
acute mental health bed registry and make access available to
any health care professional.
(b) The registry shall be designed to collect, aggregate and
display real-time information about available acute mental
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health beds at each mental health facility to allow a health
care professional to:
(1) Identify and select an acute mental health bed for
an individual in need of inpatient examination and treatment.
(2) Locate the most appropriate mental health facility
to accommodate the specific needs of the individual.
(3) Determine where an individual in need of mental
health treatment will be served in the best manner and least
restrictive setting possible.
(c) The registry shall include all of the following:
(1) Descriptive information for each mental health
facility, including contact information.
(2) Real-time information about all of the following:
(i) The number of acute mental health beds available
at each mental health facility.
(ii) A comprehensive list of the types of treatment
and services available at each mental health facility.
(iii) The level of security provided at each mental
health facility.
(iv) Any other information that may be necessary to
allow a health care professional to identify and
designate an acute mental health bed for an individual in
need of inpatient examination and treatment.
(d) A mental health facility shall designate one or more
persons to perform the following duties:
(1) Submit the information under subsection (c) to the
department for inclusion in the registry.
(2) Update the real-time information under subsection
(c)(2).
(3) Serve as a point of contact for addressing requests
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for information under subsection (c).
(e) The department may contract with a third party to
administer the registry.
(f) The department shall promulgate regulations necessary to
implement this section.
(g) As used in this section, the following words and phrases
shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection:
"Health care professional." Any health care practitioner,
administrator, administrative staff member or licensed social
worker who works in an emergency health care setting.
"Inpatient examination and treatment." Includes examination
and treatment that requires full-time or part-time voluntary or
involuntary commitment in a mental health facility as described
under Articles II and III of the act of July 9, 1976 (P.L.817,
No.143), known as the Mental Health Procedures Act.
"Mental health facility." Any licensed health care facility
in this Commonwealth that provides examination and treatment to
an individual in need of inpatient or outpatient behavioral
health treatment and services.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 180 days.
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