HB 1191

Abstract

Marcus alert system; participation. Extends the date by which localities shall establish voluntary databases to be made available to the 9-1-1 alert system and the Marcus alert system to provide relevant mental health information and emergency contact information for appropriate response to an emergency or crisis from July 1, 2021, to July 1, 2023, and provides an exemption to the requirement that localities establish protocols for local law-enforcement agencies to enter into memorandums of agreement with mobile crisis response providers regarding requests for law-enforcement back-up during mobile crisis or community care team response and minimum standards, best practices, and a system for the review and approval of protocols for law-enforcement participation in the Marcus alert system for localities with a population that is less than or equal to 40,000, so that localities with a population that is less than or equal to 40,000 may but are not required to establish such protocols. The bill also requires the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services to include in its annual report to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Committees for Courts of Justice and on Health, Welfare and Institutions, the Senate Committees on the Judiciary and Education and Health, and the Behavioral Health Commission information regarding barriers to establishment of local Marcus alert programs and community care or mobile crisis teams to provide mobile crisis response in geographical areas served by community services boards or behavioral health agencies in which such programs and teams have not been established and a plan for addressing such barriers. This bill is identical to SB 361.

Marcus alert system; participation.Expands the deadline by which a locality shall establish a Marcus alert system. The bill provides that by July 1, 2023, every locality with a population greater than 40,000, and by July 1, 2024, every locality with a population of 40,000 or less, shall (i) establish local protocols that meet the requirements of a Marcus alert system set by the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) and (ii) have established protocols for law-enforcement participation in the Marcus alert system that has been approved by DBHDS and the Department of Criminal Justice Services. The bill also revises reporting requirements related to the Marcus alert system and comprehensive crisis system to include a requirement that DBHDS include in its annual report a statement of the barriers to establishment of local Marcus alert programs and community care or mobile crisis teams in areas of the Commonwealth where such programs and teams have not yet been established and a plan for addressing such barriers to increase the number of such programs and teams in the Commonwealth.

Marcus alert system; optional participation.Provides that participation in the Marcus alert system is optionalfor localities and that no locality, community services board, orbehavioral health authority is required to participate in the Marcusalert system. The bill also revises reporting requirements relatedto the Marcus alert system and comprehensive crisis system to includea requirement that the Department of Behavioral Health and DevelopmentalServices include in its annual report a statement of the barriersto establishment of local Marcus alert programs and community careor mobile crisis teams in areas of the Commonwealth that have optedto not establish such programs and teams and a plan for addressingsuch barriers to increase the number of such programs and teams inthe Commonwealth.