Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

S.B. 47 (2021GS)

Sponsor

Sen. Thatcher, D.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/16/2021

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Spencer J. Cox

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• defines terms;
• creates the Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council;
• addresses the council's membership, meetings, compensation, and staff;
• describes the duties of the council, including developing a program providing for:
• training, and developing protocols and standards, for local mental health crisis intervention teams; and
• implementation and oversight of crisis intervention teams on a local and statewide basis;
• requires the council to present the program and recommendations relating to the program to the Government Operations Interim Committee and other organizations;
• provides for training grants as funding becomes available; and
• repeals the council after the council's duties are completed.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS INTERVENTION COUNCIL
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: Daniel W. Thatcher
House Sponsor: 
Angela Romero
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill creates the Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council to establish protocols
and standards for the training and functioning of local mental health crisis intervention
teams.
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ defines terms;
▸ creates the Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council;
▸ addresses the council's membership, meetings, compensation, and staff;
▸ describes the duties of the council, including developing a program providing for:
• training, and developing protocols and standards, for local mental health crisis
intervention teams; and
• implementation and oversight of crisis intervention teams on a local and
statewide basis;
▸ requires the council to present the program and recommendations relating to the
program to the Government Operations Interim Committee and other organizations;
▸ provides for training grants as funding becomes available; and
▸ repeals the council after the council's duties are completed.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
63I-2-262
, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2020, Chapter 212
ENACTS:
62A-15-1901
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
62A-15-1902
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
62A-15-1903
, Utah Code Annotated 1953
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
62A-15-1901
 is enacted to read:
Part 19. Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council
 62A-15-1901.
Definitions.
As used in this part:
(1) "Council" means the Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council created in Section
62A-15-1902
.
(2) "Crisis intervention team" means a local mental health crisis intervention team
created to provide services to individuals, and the families of individuals, experiencing a
behavioral health or psychiatric emergency.
(3) "Mental health catchment area" means a county or group of counties governed by a
local mental health authority.
Section 2. Section 
62A-15-1902
 is enacted to read:
 62A-15-1902.
Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council -- Creation --
Membership -- Meetings -- Compensation -- Staff.
(1) There is created, within the division, the Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council.
(2) The council comprises the following members:
(a) the director or the director's designee;
(b) two members representing statewide mental health advocacy organizations,
appointed by the director;
(c) an individual who has experienced mental illness, appointed by the director;
(d) a family member of an individual who has experienced mental illness, appointed by
the director;
(e) a representative of an urban local mental health authority, appointed by the director;
(f) a representative of a rural local mental health authority, appointed by the director;
(g) a representative of the Utah Chiefs of Police Association from an urban area,
appointed by the director based upon a recommendation from the association;
(h) a representative of the Utah Chiefs of Police Association from a rural area,
appointed by the director based upon a recommendation from the association;
(i) a representative of the Utah Sheriffs' Association from an urban area, appointed by
the director based upon a recommendation from the association;
(j) a representative of the Utah Sheriffs' Association from a rural area, appointed by the
director based upon a recommendation from the association;
(k) the commissioner of the Department of Public Safety or the commissioner's
designee;
(l) the executive director of the Department of Corrections or the executive director's
designee; and
(m) other individuals, appointed by the director, with knowledge and experience that
would be useful to the council.
(3) (a) If a vacancy occurs on the council, the director shall appoint a replacement
member.
(b) The director may remove a member for cause, including failure to regularly attend
meetings.
(4) (a) The council shall meet when a meeting is called by the director, the chair, or
upon a request of a majority of the council members.
(b) A majority of the council members appointed constitutes a quorum and a two-thirds
majority of a quorum present constitutes action of the council.
(c) The council shall appoint a chair from among the council's members upon a
two-thirds majority vote of a quorum.
(5) A member of the council may not receive compensation or benefits for the
member's service, but may receive per diem and travel expenses in accordance with:
(a) Section 
63A-3-106
;
(b) Section 
63A-3-107
; and
(c) rules made by the Division of Finance in accordance with Sections 
63A-3-106
 and
63A-3-107
.
(6) The division shall provide staff support to the council.
Section 3. Section 
62A-15-1903
 is enacted to read:
 62A-15-1903.
Council duties -- Training grants.
(1) The council shall develop a program to:
(a) train crisis intervention teams throughout the state; and
(b) establish standards for crisis intervention teams, including coordination within and
between teams.
(2) The program shall:
(a) include required curriculum and required practice standards based on best practices
for crisis intervention;
(b) establish standards for completion of initial crisis intervention team training and
annual continuing education training, including:
(i) at least 40 hours of initial training; and
(ii) successful completion of an approved exam;
(c) prioritize crisis intervention efforts by collaborating with law enforcement and
statewide mental health advocacy efforts;
(d) take into consideration local training needs; and
(e) establish mental health and law enforcement coordinator roles and responsibilities
for implementation and oversight of crisis intervention teams on a statewide basis, and in each
mental health catchment area, that utilizes input and representation from:
(i) for statewide implementation and oversight:
(A) individuals who have experienced mental illness; and
(B) statewide mental health advocates; and
(ii) for implementation and oversight in a mental health catchment area:
(A) individuals who reside within the mental health catchment area and have
experienced mental illness; and
(B) mental health advocates within the mental health catchment area.
(3) The council shall:
(a) before July 1, 2022, develop and present the program, in writing, to the director;
(b) before August 1, 2022, present the program, and other recommendations related to
the duties of the council, for review and input to:
(i) the Government Operations Interim Committee;
(ii) the Utah Chiefs of Police Association, the Utah Sheriffs' Association, the
Department of Public Safety, the Department of Corrections, and the Utah Association of
Counties;
(iii) the Utah Substance Use and Mental Health Advisory Council, created in Section
63M-7-301
; and
(iv) the Behavioral Health Crisis Response Commission, created in Section
63C-18-202
; and
(c) before December 1, 2022, submit the plan in final form to the Government
Operations Interim Committee for consideration as a potential committee bill, which may
include a grant of administrative rulemaking authority as appropriate.
(4) The division shall, as funding becomes available, provide training grants to crisis
intervention teams.
Section 4. Section 
63I-2-262
 is amended to read:
63I-2-262.
Repeal dates -- Title 62A.
(1) Subsection 
62A-5-103.1
(6) is repealed January 1, 2023.
(2) Section 
62A-5-111
 is repealed January 1, 2021.
(3) Title 62A, Chapter 15, Part 19, Mental Health Crisis Intervention Council, is
repealed January 1, 2023.