OLR Bill Analysis
SB 754 (File 25, as amended by Senate “A”)*
AN ACT CONCERNING TECHNICAL CHANGES TO THE STATUTES REGARDING PERSONS WITH PSYCHIATRIC DISABILITIES AND PERSONS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
This bill makes several minor changes in the laws governing Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) operations. It:
1. repeals separate statutory authority for the superintendent of Blue Hills Hospital to regulate traffic on that facility's grounds;
2. allows the DMHAS commissioner to permit private physicians and psychiatrists to treat patients at DMHAS facilities, instead of requiring him to adopt regulations to permit such treatment; and
3. updates obsolete language describing patients, facilities and facility police, psychiatric conditions, substance abuse, and social workers.
*Senate Amendment “A” enables the commissioner of children and families' to ask a court to revoke or modify an order committing a child to a child care facility and makes technical changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2009
TRAFFIC REGULATIONS
The law authorizes all DMHAS facility directors to regulate traffic on their facilities grounds (CGS § 17a-465). This bill repeals separate statutory authority for the superintendent of Blue Hills Hospital to regulate traffic on that facility's grounds. It extends to all DMHAS police the immunity against criminal and civil liability for enforcing traffic regulations current law gives to police at Blue Hills Hospital. Repealing the specific Blue Hills Hospital statute effectively eliminates:
1. the immunity current law gives all hospital staff from confidentiality violations for reporting traffic violations;
2. the existing penalty for falsely reporting traffic violations at the hospital, which is up to one year in prison, a fine of up to $ 1,000, or both; and
3. the requirement that court records of traffic cases be sealed and available only to the respondent unless the court permits disclosure.
The law does not specifically extend these traffic-related immunities or penalties to other DMHAS facilities, but another statute immunizes state employees against civil liability for damage or injury caused in the scope of their employment or by the discharge of their duties as long as it is not wanton, reckless, or malicious (CGS § 4-165).
COMMITMENT REVIEW
Current law permits the DMHAS and Department of Children and Families (DCF) commissioners and any interested person to ask the court that committed an adult or juvenile to a state psychiatric hospital or “humane institution” to revoke or modify the commitment. The bill eliminates their ability to do this for people committed to humane institutions and specifies they may do this for children committed to child-care facilities. The law the bill affects does not define a humane institution, but a statute that concerns medical assistance payments defines it as a state psychiatric hospital, community mental health center, treatment facility for children or adolescents, or any facility or program administered by DMHAS, DCF, or the Department of Developmental Services (CGS § 17b-222).
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Health Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea |
30 |
Nay |
0 |
(02/18/2009) |
Judiciary Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea |
40 |
Nay |
0 |
(04/21/2009) |