Regular Session 2015-2016 Senate Bill 0569 P.N. 0542

PRINTER'S NO. 542

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

569

Session of

2015

INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, TEPLITZ, HUGHES, COSTA, VULAKOVICH,

LEACH, SCHWANK AND BROWNE, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

AN ACT

Amending the act of November 22, 1978 (P.L.1166, No.274),

entitled "An act establishing the Pennsylvania Commission on

Crime and Delinquency, providing for its powers and duties

establishing several advisory committees within the

commission and providing for their powers and duties,"

further providing for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime

and Delinquency; and establishing the Mental Health and

Justice Advisory Committee and the Mental Health and Justice

Grant Program.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 2(d)(2) of the act of November 22, 1978

(P.L.1166, No.274), referred to as the Pennsylvania Commission

on Crime and Delinquency Law, amended October 25, 2012

(P.L.1607, No.196), is amended and subsection (b) is amended by

adding a paragraph to read:

Section 2. Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

* * *

(b) Composition.--The commission shall consist of the

following members:

* * *

(17.3) Chairman of the Mental Health and Justice

Advisory Committee.

* * *

(d) Term of office.--

* * *

(2) The term of the [chairman] chairmen of the Juvenile

Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee and the Mental

Health and Justice Advisory Committee shall be concurrent

with [his] their service as [chairman of that committee]

chairmen of their respective committees.

* * *

Section 2. The act is amended by adding sections to read:

Section 7.3. Mental Health and Justice Advisory Committee.

(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the Mental

Health and Justice Advisory Committee within the commission.

(b) Composition.--The members of the committee shall be

appointed by the Governor and shall include representatives of

the Department of Corrections, the Department of Drug and

Alcohol Programs, the Department of Military and Veterans

Affairs, the Office of Mental Health Services and Substance

Abuse Services of the Department of Human Services, the

Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, the Administrative

Office of Pennsylvania Courts, the Pennsylvania Commission on

Sentencing, units of local government, public and private

agencies and organizations which provide or advocate for mental

health treatment and services, agencies which provide housing

for the mentally ill, victim service agencies, drug and alcohol

treatment providers, police, district attorneys, public

defenders, judges of the courts of common pleas, county adult

and juvenile probation officers, county wardens and any other

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individuals with expertise in the public safety response and

management, treatment or provision of services to individuals

with mental illness involved in the juvenile justice or criminal

justice system.

be appointed for no more than one additional consecutive term.

(d) Number and qualifications.--The committee shall consist

of no more than 33 members, all of whom must have experience in

the public safety response and management, treatment or

provision of services to individuals with mental illness

involved in the juvenile justice or criminal justice system.

(e) Conditions of appointment.--The committee and its

members are subject to the same limitations and conditions

imposed upon the commission as prescribed in section 2(d), (e),

(h), (i), (m) and (n).

(f) Quorum.--A majority of the members shall constitute a

quorum and a vote of the majority of the members present shall

be sufficient for all actions.

(g) Chairman.--The Governor shall appoint a chairman from

among the members of the committee who shall serve at the

pleasure of the Governor. A vice chairman shall be designated by

the chairman and preside at meetings in the absence of the

chairman. The committee shall meet at the call of the chairman,

but not less than four times a year.

(h) Powers and duties.--The Mental Health and Justice

Advisory Committee shall have the power, and its duty shall be:

(1) To serve in an advisory capacity to the commission

through the committee's participation in the development of

that part of the commission's comprehensive plan relating to

the provision of treatment and services to individuals with

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mental illness involved in the juvenile justice and criminal

justice systems.

(2) To serve the commission in an advisory capacity

relating to the direct approval and disbursement of financial

assistance.

(3) To advise the commission on the definition,

development and correlation of programs and projects and the

establishment of priorities for the provision of treatment

and services to individuals with mental illness involved in

the juvenile justice and criminal justice systems.

(4) Upon request, to provide whatever assistance and

advice to the commission on any other matters relating to the

provision of treatment and services to individuals with

mental illness involved in the juvenile justice and criminal

justice systems.

(i) Resource and staff support.--The Department of Human

Services and the Department of Corrections shall cooperate with

the commission in providing resources to the commission in

support of the committee. Staff support shall be made available

to the committee by the executive director in order to

adequately perform the duties provided for in this section.

Section 8.2. Mental Health and Justice Grant Program.

(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the Mental

Health and Justice Grant Program within the commission.

(b) Awarding grants.--The commission shall award grants to

assist in planning, implementing or expanding initiatives that

increase public safety, avert increased spending on criminal

justice and improve the effectiveness of treatment services for

individuals with mental illnesses, substance abuse disorders or

co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders who are

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involved or at risk of involvement with the criminal justice

system.

of grants on the amount of funds appropriated by the General

Assembly and other funds available for the purposes of this act.

Section 3. This act shall take effect in 90 days.

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