O F F I C E O F L E G I S L A T I V E R E S E A R C H
P U B L I C A C T S U M M A R Y
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PA 21-75—HB 6398
Public Health Committee
AN ACT CONCERNING VA RIOUS REVISIONS TO S TATUTES
CONCERNING THE DEPAR TMENT OF MENTAL HEAL TH AND
ADDICTION SERVICES
SUMMARY: This act makes three unrelated changes to statutes concerning the
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS).
Prior law prohibited Whiting Forensic Hospital patients in the hospital’s
maximum-security service from being present during a search of their personal
belongings. The act limits this prohibition to only when police officers conduct
the search and have probable cause that contraband or hazardous items are hidden
in the patient’s living area.
The act also allows DMHAS to establish and use a single electronic health
record (EHR) system for authorized personnel to access patient health records
from any of DMHAS’s divisions and facilities for purposes of diagnosing and
treating patients and improving operations. Under the act, all DMHAS divisions
and facilities must provide their patient records to the EHR system. Any
disclosure of the system’s patient information made outside of DMHAS must be
done in accordance with state and federal law.
Additionally, the act increases, from nine to 11, the membership of the
Whiting Forensic Hospital advisory board. It does this by adding two members
with psychiatric disabilities, at least one of whom must have received inpatient
psychiatric hospital services. The advisory board develops policies and sets
standards related to the hospital’s patients.
Lastly, the act makes several technical changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2021, except the provision establishing a single
EHR system takes effect upon passage.