1     
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS INTERVENTION COUNCIL

2     
2021 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Daniel W. Thatcher

5     
House Sponsor: Angela Romero

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill creates the Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council to establish protocols
10     and standards for the training and functioning of local mental health crisis intervention
11     teams.
12     Highlighted Provisions:
13          This bill:
14          ▸     defines terms;
15          ▸     creates the Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council;
16          ▸     addresses the council's membership, meetings, compensation, and staff;
17          ▸     describes the duties of the council, including developing a program providing for:
18               •     training, and developing protocols and standards, for local mental health crisis
19     intervention teams; and
20               •     implementation and oversight of crisis intervention teams on a local and
21     statewide basis;
22          ▸     requires the council to present the program and recommendations relating to the
23     program to the Government Operations Interim Committee and other organizations;
24          ▸     provides for training grants as funding becomes available; and
25          ▸     repeals the council after the council's duties are completed.
26     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
27          None
28     Other Special Clauses:
29          None

30     Utah Code Sections Affected:
31     AMENDS:
32          63I-2-262, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 212
33     ENACTS:
34          62A-15-1901, Utah Code Annotated 1953
35          62A-15-1902, Utah Code Annotated 1953
36          62A-15-1903, Utah Code Annotated 1953
37     

38     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
39          Section 1. Section 62A-15-1901 is enacted to read:
40     
Part 19. Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council

41          62A-15-1901. Definitions.
42          As used in this part:
43          (1) "Council" means the Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council created in Section
44     62A-15-1902.
45          (2) "Crisis intervention team" means a local mental health crisis intervention team
46     created to provide services to individuals, and the families of individuals, experiencing a
47     behavioral health or psychiatric emergency.
48          (3) "Mental health catchment area" means a county or group of counties governed by a
49     local mental health authority.
50          Section 2. Section 62A-15-1902 is enacted to read:
51          62A-15-1902. Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council -- Creation --
52     Membership -- Meetings -- Compensation -- Staff.
53          (1) There is created, within the division, the Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council.
54          (2) The council comprises the following members:
55          (a) the director or the director's designee;
56          (b) two members representing statewide mental health advocacy organizations,
57     appointed by the director;

58          (c) an individual who has experienced mental illness, appointed by the director;
59          (d) a family member of an individual who has experienced mental illness, appointed by
60     the director;
61          (e) a representative of an urban local mental health authority, appointed by the director;
62          (f) a representative of a rural local mental health authority, appointed by the director;
63          (g) a representative of the Utah Chiefs of Police Association from an urban area,
64     appointed by the director based upon a recommendation from the association;
65          (h) a representative of the Utah Chiefs of Police Association from a rural area,
66     appointed by the director based upon a recommendation from the association;
67          (i) a representative of the Utah Sheriffs' Association from an urban area, appointed by
68     the director based upon a recommendation from the association;
69          (j) a representative of the Utah Sheriffs' Association from a rural area, appointed by the
70     director based upon a recommendation from the association;
71          (k) the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety or the commissioner's
72     designee;
73          (l) the executive director of the Department of Corrections or the executive director's
74     designee; and
75          (m) other individuals, appointed by the director, with knowledge and experience that
76     would be useful to the council.
77          (3) (a) If a vacancy occurs on the council, the director shall appoint a replacement
78     member.
79          (b) The director may remove a member for cause, including failure to regularly attend
80     meetings.
81          (4) (a) The council shall meet when a meeting is called by the director, the chair, or
82     upon a request of a majority of the council members.
83          (b) A majority of the council members appointed constitutes a quorum and a two-thirds
84     majority of a quorum present constitutes action of the council.
85          (c) The council shall appoint a chair from among the council's members upon a

86     two-thirds majority vote of a quorum.
87          (5) A member of the council may not receive compensation or benefits for the
88     member's service, but may receive per diem and travel expenses in accordance with:
89          (a) Section 63A-3-106;
90          (b) Section 63A-3-107; and
91          (c) rules made by the Division of Finance in accordance with Sections 63A-3-106 and
92     63A-3-107.
93          (6) The division shall provide staff support to the council.
94          Section 3. Section 62A-15-1903 is enacted to read:
95          62A-15-1903. Council duties -- Training grants.
96          (1) The council shall develop a program to:
97          (a) train crisis intervention teams throughout the state; and
98          (b) establish standards for crisis intervention teams, including coordination within and
99     between teams.
100          (2) The program shall:
101          (a) include required curriculum and required practice standards based on best practices
102     for crisis intervention;
103          (b) establish standards for completion of initial crisis intervention team training and
104     annual continuing education training, including:
105          (i) at least 40 hours of initial training; and
106          (ii) successful completion of an approved exam;
107          (c) prioritize crisis intervention efforts by collaborating with law enforcement and
108     statewide mental health advocacy efforts;
109          (d) take into consideration local training needs; and
110          (e) establish mental health and law enforcement coordinator roles and responsibilities
111     for implementation and oversight of crisis intervention teams on a statewide basis, and in each
112     mental health catchment area, that utilizes input and representation from:
113          (i) for statewide implementation and oversight:

114          (A) individuals who have experienced mental illness; and
115          (B) statewide mental health advocates; and
116          (ii) for implementation and oversight in a mental health catchment area:
117          (A) individuals who reside within the mental health catchment area and have
118     experienced mental illness; and
119          (B) mental health advocates within the mental health catchment area.
120          (3) The council shall:
121          (a) before July 1, 2022, develop and present the program, in writing, to the director;
122          (b) before August 1, 2022, present the program, and other recommendations related to
123     the duties of the council, for review and input to:
124          (i) the Government Operations Interim Committee;
125          (ii) the Utah Chiefs of Police Association, the Utah Sheriffs' Association, the
126     Department of Public Safety, the Department of Corrections, and the Utah Association of
127     Counties;
128          (iii) the Utah Substance Use and Mental Health Advisory Council, created in Section
129     63M-7-301; and
130          (iv) the Behavioral Health Crisis Response Commission, created in Section
131     63C-18-202; and
132          (c) before December 1, 2022, submit the plan in final form to the Government
133     Operations Interim Committee for consideration as a potential committee bill, which may
134     include a grant of administrative rulemaking authority as appropriate.
135          (4) The division shall, as funding becomes available, provide training grants to crisis
136     intervention teams.
137          Section 4. Section 63I-2-262 is amended to read:
138          63I-2-262. Repeal dates -- Title 62A.
139          (1) Subsection 62A-5-103.1(6) is repealed January 1, 2023.
140          (2) Section 62A-5-111 is repealed January 1, 2021.
141          (3) Title 62A, Chapter 15, Part 19, Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council, is

142     repealed January 1, 2023.