PRINTER'S NO. 1177

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

SENATE BILL

No.

924

Session of

2021

INTRODUCED BY BROOKS, BAKER, HUTCHINSON, YUDICHAK, SCAVELLO AND

GORDNER, OCTOBER 26, 2021

REFERRED TO HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, OCTOBER 26, 2021

providing for definitions; and, in responsibilities of the

State, providing for State center closure moratorium.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. The definitions of "department" and "secretary"

in section 102 of the act of October 20, 1966 (3rd Sp.Sess.,

P.L.96, No.6), known as the Mental Health and Intellectual

Disability Act of 1966, are amended and the section is amended

by adding a definition to read:

Section 102. Definitions.--As used in this act:

* * *

"State center" means a State operated facility, licensed by

the department, to provide a level of care specially designed to

meet the needs of persons who have an intellectual disability or

persons with related conditions who require specialized health

and rehabilitative services.

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

Section 202.1. State Center Closure Moratorium.--(a) The

Task Force on the Closure of State Centers is established within

the department. Within sixty days of the effective date of this

completes the comprehensive evaluation of the State center and

provides recommendations to the department under subsection (a),

the State center is deemed eligible for closure and the plan

under subsection (e) is approved by way of a majority vote of

the task force and five years have elapsed since the effective

date of this section.

(c) The task force shall be comprised of the following

members:

(1) The secretary or a designee .

(2) One representative from each State center , which may

(4) The chair and the minority chair of the Health and Human

Services Committee of the Senate or their designees .

(5) The chair and the minority chair of the Health

Committee of the House of Representatives or their designees .

(6) Two family members of residents of State centers , to be

appointed by the secretary.

to be appointed by the secretary.

(8) One physician, psychiatrist or psychologist with

experience providing services to individuals with intellectual

disabilities to be appointed by the secretary in consultation

with the representatives appointed under paragraph (2).

(d) The task force shall meet biweekly to evaluate the

impact of a closure in all of the following areas:

(1) Residents of the State center and their families.

(2) Employes, both union and nonunion.

(3) The local economy in which the State center is located.

(4) Readiness of provider agencies in each region to expand

receiving care in the State center to a home or community-based

support system. Upon approval of the plan by way of a majority

vote of the task force, the department shall make the plan

available to the public and take any action necessary to

include all of the following:

(1) An assessment of the State center , including:

(i) A certified independent appraisal of the State center

property.

(ii) A report of the State employes employed at the State

center , both full time and part time, including the total number

working at the State center .

(iii) A detailed report of the services provided at the

State center by contracted third-party vendors.

(iv) An inventory of assets located at and improvements on

the State center .

(v) A report of all electric, utility, water, landscaping,

snow removal and maintenance costs of the State center .

(vi) Geospatial images of the State center .

(vii) A detailed description of the existence, ownership

rights and appraised value of any mineral rights on the State

center property.

transition to a home and community-based support system for all

of the individuals with intellectual disabilities living at the

State center . Information required under this clause shall

specify the critical milestones in the closure process for the

effectuate the closure of the State center , including available

and necessary resources.

(3) The home and community-based support providers available

in the immediate geographic area surrounding the State center .

(4) The process the department will utilize at each State

center to transition individuals with intellectual disabilities

(5) The process the department will utilize at the State

center to close buildings and reassign staff when individuals

with intellectual disabilities are transitioning from State

centers to a home and community-based support system.

(6) Any other information deemed appropriate by the

department as part of the plan.

(f) A State center subject to closure must continue to

operate with the level of staff necessary until all residents

have been transitioned into home or community-based services.

(g) As used in this section, the term "task force" means the

Task Force on the Closure of State Centers established in

Section 3. The addition of section 202.1 of the act shall

apply to State centers not closed on the effective date of this

section, notwithstanding if the Department of Human Services

began the process to close the State center after July 31, 2019.

Section 4. This act shall take effect immediately.