PRINTER'S NO. 2539
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
515
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY MURT, HENNESSEY, POLINCHOCK, SCHLOSSBERG,
KENYATTA, RYAN, MILLARD, JONES, DeLUCA, READSHAW, GALLOWAY,
GAYDOS, HILL-EVANS, OTTEN, KAUFER, KIM AND CALTAGIRONE,
SEPTEMBER 23, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, SEPTEMBER 23, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to
conduct a comprehensive study of changes in access to county-
managed community health services between fiscal years 2010
through 2018; and establishing an advisory committee.
WHEREAS, One in five individuals in the United States needs
treatment for mental illness during his or her lifetime; and
WHEREAS, Fifty percent of mental health cases in our nation
begin by 14 years of age; and
WHEREAS, Seventy-five percent of these cases begin by 24
years of age; and
WHEREAS, Delayed treatment of mental illness increases
severity of symptoms and difficulty of treatment; and
WHEREAS, Each year, tens of thousands of families in this
Commonwealth struggle to gain timely access to services and
support for family members with serious mental illness; and
WHEREAS, Since 1966, county-managed community mental health
agencies have established community-based residential
rehabilitation and a range of other support and treatment
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services in response to the reduction of beds in the State
mental hospital system; and
WHEREAS, The cost of providing treatment and services in
community-based settings is significantly less than the cost of
treatment in State mental hospitals or private psychiatric
hospitals; and
WHEREAS, Without sufficient residential rehabilitation and
mental health treatment services in our communities, individuals
with serious mental illness all too often become homeless or
become inmates in county jails; and
WHEREAS, Some county mental health programs have reported a
reduction in school-based mental health services since 2010; and
WHEREAS, Some county mental health programs have reported a
reduction in residential and treatment services for the
seriously mentally ill since 2010; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
conduct a comprehensive study of changes in access to county-
managed community mental health programs between fiscal years
2010 through 2018; and be it further
RESOLVED, That, in furtherance of its study, the Legislative
Budget and Finance Committee determine, at a minimum, the
following:
(1) the amount allocated by each county for contracted
services in each fiscal year from fiscal year 2010 through
2018 for each of the major community mental health services,
including community residential rehabilitation, inpatient
psychiatric services, emergency and crisis intervention, peer
counseling, drop-in centers, outpatient services, partial
hospitalization, day treatment, community employment,
facility-based vocational rehabilitation, psychiatric
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rehabilitation, long-term residential services, social
rehabilitation, intensive case management, case management,
community treatment teams, family-based services and family
support services, and set forth a Statewide summary of this
data;
(2) the number of units of service provided by each
contracted entity in each county in each fiscal year from
fiscal year 2010 through 2018 for each of the above community
mental health services and set forth a Statewide summary of
this data;
(3) the number of people receiving each of the above
community mental health services in each county in each
fiscal year from fiscal year 2010 through 2018 and set forth
a Statewide summary of this data;
(4) the amount spent by each county mental health agency
to administer the county mental health program in each fiscal
year from fiscal year 2010 through 2018;
(5) follow-up information on the living conditions and
mental health status of individuals transferred out of
community residential rehabilitation services used during
fiscal years 2010 through 2018 and set forth a Statewide
summary of this data;
(6) data on the use of short-term private psychiatric
facilities in each county in each fiscal year from fiscal
year 2010 through 2018;
(7) information on any delays in access to intake for
new admissions to mental health treatment services and
delays, if any, in access to psychiatric evaluations and
medications in each county's community mental health system
that have occurred during fiscal years 2010 through 2018;
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(8) data on the number of inmates with mental illness
incarcerated in county jails in each fiscal year from fiscal
year 2010 through 2018; and
(9) data on the use of emergency rooms in hospitals by
individuals with mental illness in mental health crisis in
each county in each fiscal year from fiscal year 2010 through
2018;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
seek information regarding access in mental health treatment and
services, in each fiscal year from fiscal year 2010 through
2018, from the following entities in each county:
(1) county jail wardens;
(2) county probation officers;
(3) school superintendents;
(4) county homeless program managers;
(5) local representatives of mental health consumer
groups;
(6) local representatives of mental health associations;
(7) local representatives of the National Alliance for
Mental Illness;
(8) local representatives of psychiatric associations;
(9) local representatives of pediatric associations;
(10) representatives of primary care physicians; and
(11) representatives of emergency room physicians;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
be authorized to establish an advisory committee of
stakeholders, including:
(1) county mental health administrators;
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(2) providers of community-based mental health services;
(3) advocates for people with mental illness;
(4) members of families that include people with mental
illness; and
(5) individuals with mental illness;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
submit a report of its findings to the House of Representatives
by December 31, 2019.
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