A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to require the department of health and human services to report on the utilization of hospital emergency departments by individuals diagnosed with mental illness and to develop a comprehensive plan for reducing the length of stays for individuals with mental illness admitted to hospital emergency departments, as recommended by the joint legislative oversight committee on mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse services.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  By September 1, 2011, the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services of the Department of Health and Human Services shall submit a report on the utilization of hospital emergency departments by individuals with mental illness to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services. The report shall include a comprehensive statewide analysis of the number of times between January 1, 2011, and June 30, 2011, individuals diagnosed with a mental illness utilized hospital emergency departments, broken down by geographic location, average length of stay, and range in lengths of stay.  The report shall also include a comprehensive plan for reducing the length of stay for individuals with mental illness admitted to hospital emergency departments.
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law.