07 SR363/AP
Senate
Resolution 363
By:
Senators Grant of the 25th, Tarver of the 22nd, Unterman of the 45th, Hill of
the 4th, Goggans of the 7th and others
ADOPTED
ADOPTED
A
RESOLUTION
Creating
the Mental Health Service Delivery Commission; and for other
purposes.
WHEREAS,
recent tragic events in the state mental hospitals, including the death and
alleged abuse or neglect of Georgia´s citizens living with mental illness,
necessitate a comprehensive assessment of Georgia´s mental health system
and immediate responses to its inpatient and community based systems;
and
WHEREAS,
the State of Georgia has historically exercised the responsibility for the
safety and care of its citizens who live with mental illnesses, developmental
disabilities, and substance abuse; and
WHEREAS,
this responsibility has primarily resided in the Department of Health and later
the Department of Human Resources which have administered and developed the
state´s public hospitals and its system of community care delivered through
public and private facilities and individual providers; and
WHEREAS,
the Department of Human Resources also manages Georgia´s foster care system
for children and adolescents in state custody, many of whom have suffered from
abuse and neglect with resulting needs for behavioral health services and
supportive foster families; and
WHEREAS,
at the same time, Georgia´s citizens who live with these conditions also
reside in and sometimes receive treatment services from the Departments of
Juvenile Justice, the Department of Corrections, and Georgia´s local jails;
and
WHEREAS,
these systems and agencies have endured a decline in resources and staffing in
the last decade, resulting in fragmented and often inadequate service delivery
systems; and
WHEREAS,
this decline in resources has manifested itself in deaths and escapes from our
state mental hospitals and the housing of too many citizens living with mental
illness, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse in correctional systems
not designed for treatment;
WHEREAS,
Georgia needs an ongoing, effective advocacy system for children and adults
living in and receiving services through its systems; and
WHEREAS,
most of Georgia´s citizens in need of mental health, developmental
disabilities, and substance abuse services can be safely housed and treated in
our communities closer to their families with effective supports delivered by
public and private providers and peer counselors; and
WHEREAS,
Georgia has appropriately articulated and sought, but not yet fulfilled, a
policy of de-institutionalization that holds promise for better allocation of
resources and more sensitive services for its citizens and their families who
endure mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse;
and
WHEREAS,
the response to these issues requires the appropriate sizing and adequate
staffing of our hospitals for Georgia´s growing population and the full
development and coordination of our community treatment and housing resources;
and
WHEREAS,
forging and coordinating that effort requires leadership and a multifocused,
multiagency plan for the new century; and
WHEREAS,
the General Assembly desires and seeks timely and effective action to ensure
that the following challenges are addressed and solutions implemented in the
immediate, short, and long terms:
(1)
Assess the needs of our citizens, both children and adults, for improved
behavioral health services and resources wherever they reside;
(2)
Adequately size, staff, and secure our state hospitals for Georgia´s
population, taking into account which patients can be safely housed in community
settings;
(3)
Use public and private community resources to relieve overcrowding in state
facilities and to develop the full continuum of services and effective supports
so Georgia´s citizens who live with mental illness, developmental
disabilities, and substance abuse may live and work when possible close to their
families;
(4)
Divert Georgians in need of treatment and assistance to community based
resources whenever appropriate and provide adequate forensic and treatment
services in our institutions;
(5)
Aggressively develop housing and employment opportunities in our
communities;
(6)
Assure parity in insurance benefits coverage for mental health, developmental
disabilities, and substance abuse care so that health issues resulting from lack
of adequate treatment are reduced and all our financing resources are used to
destigmatize and treat mental illness, developmental disabilities, and substance
abuse; and
(7)
Develop an organizational plan to coordinate or revitalize the agencies involved
in mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse services or
the financing of those services.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA that there is
created the Mental Health Service Delivery Commission to be composed of three
members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate; three members of
the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of
Representatives; a superior court judge experienced in dealing with mental
illness, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse appointed by the
Council of Superior Court Judges; three citizens appointed by the President of
the Senate to represent patients served by the systems described in this
resolution, the advocacy groups for mental health, developmental disabilities,
or substance abuse, and the law enforcement community; and three citizens
appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to represent patients
served by the systems described in this resolution, the advocacy groups for
mental health, developmental disabilities, or substance abuse, and the law
enforcement community. The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall
designate a member of the House and the President of the Senate shall designate
a member of the Senate to serve as cochairpersons of the committee. The
commission shall meet at the call of the cochairpersons.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the commission shall undertake a study of the
conditions, needs, issues, and problems mentioned above or related thereto and
recommend any actions or legislation which the commission deems necessary or
appropriate. The commission 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 commission shall have the authority to
call any party to testify and to require the attendance of witnesses and the
production of books, records, and papers. The commission shall be authorized to
retain the services of individuals or firms as determined appropriate by the
commission. The members of the commission shall receive the allowances
authorized for legislative members of interim legislative committees. The funds
necessary to carry out the provisions of this resolution shall come from the
funds appropriated to the House of Representatives and Senate. The commission
shall make interim reports to the General Assembly on or before January 15,
2008, as to the progress of the commission in identifying the difficulties in
the state´s deliverance of mental health services and developing an
organizational plan for coordinating the state´s various systems and the
financial and staffing needs of these systems to assure a safe and secure system
of services. The commission shall make a second interim report on or before
January 15, 2009, as to anticipated initial implementation of action. It shall
make a final report with a blueprint for action on or before June 30, 2009. The
commission shall stand abolished on June 30, 2009.