08 LC 35
0925
Senate
Resolution 1288
By:
Senator Thompson of the 5th
ADOPTED
SENATE
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Senate Study Committee on the Organization of Mental Health, Developmental
Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases Services; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
mental health, developmental disabilities, and addictive diseases services are
among the most significant health and social services provided by the Department
of Human Resources; and
WHEREAS,
the General Assembly created within the Department of Human Resources the
Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases to
supervise the delivery of public mental health, developmental disabilities, and
addictive diseases services; and
WHEREAS,
House Bill 100 (Act No. 552, Ga. L. 1993, p. 1445) restructured the public
delivery system supervised by the Division of Mental Health, Developmental
Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases of the Department of Human Resources by
creating regional boards to facilitate, coordinate, and plan the delivery of
services throughout the state and by creating community service boards to
succeed county boards of health as providers of mental health, developmental
disabilities, and addictive diseases services not provided by other public or
private providers under contract with the regional boards; and
WHEREAS,
a thorough legislative study is needed to determine if the delivery system
created pursuant to House Bill 100 provides the state with the most effective
and efficient organizational structure for the delivery of public mental health,
developmental disabilities, and addictive diseases services and, particularly,
whether adequate services are being delivered in the most cost efficient
manner.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that there is created the Senate Study
Committee on the Organization of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and
Addictive Diseases Services to be composed of five members of the Senate to be
appointed by the President of the Senate. The President shall designate a
member of the committee as chairperson of the committee. The chairperson shall
call all meetings of the committee.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee shall undertake a comprehensive study of
the needs of the state with respect to the organization of the public delivery
system for mental health, developmental disabilities, and addictive diseases
services. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, such study should
specifically address:
(1)
The effectiveness and adequacy of assistance provided by the regional and
community service boards;
(2)
Whether these boards unnecessarily duplicate service efforts, administration,
and public spending;
(3)
The need for regional boards as a level of governance between the Division of
Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Addictive Diseases and the
community service boards;
(4)
Whether community service boards may be more effectively and efficiently
operated as units and employees of the Department of Human Resources;
and
(5)
The capability of the current delivery system to provide a comprehensive range
of quality services to consumers and their families in all geographic areas of
the state.
The
study committee shall study the conditions, needs, issues, and problems
mentioned above or related thereto and recommend any actions or legislation
which the committee deems necessary or appropriate.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee may conduct such meetings at such places
and at such times as it may deem necessary or convenient to enable it to
exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish
the objectives and purposes of this resolution. The members of the committee
shall receive the allowances authorized for legislative members of interim
legislative committees but shall receive the same for not more than ten days
unless additional days are authorized. The funds necessary to carry out the
provisions of this resolution shall come from the funds appropriated to the
Senate. In the event the committee makes a report of its findings and
recommendations, with suggestions for proposed legislation, if any, such report
shall be made on or before December 31, 2008. The committee shall stand
abolished on December 31, 2008.