Substitute House Bill No. 6510
Public Act No. 21-116
AN ACT REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF INFORMATION
CONCERNING CHILDREN’S BEHAVIORAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
RESOURCES IN HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS AND
SCHOOLS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) (1) Not later than
December 1, 2021, the Department of Children and Families, in
consultation with the Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight Council
established pursuant to section 17a-22j of the general statutes, the
Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Department
of Public Health and the Youth Suicide Advisory Board established
pursuant to section 17a-52 of the general statutes, shall develop
documents concerning behavioral and mental health evaluation and
treatment resources available to children in each mental health region
designated pursuant to section 17a-478 of the general statutes.
(2) Such documents shall contain, but need not be limited to, contact
information for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and a list of (A)
providers of such resources, including, but not limited to, mobile crisis
intervention services, (B) the physical location of each provider, if
applicable, (C) the types of services offered by each provider, and (D)
contact information for each provider. Substitute House Bill No. 6510
Public Act No. 21-116 2 of 3
(3) The Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight Council shall make
such documents available on its Internet web site and distribute such
documents electronically to each hospital licensed pursuant to chapter
368v of the general statutes that has an emergency department and each
local and regional board of education.
(b) On and after January 1, 2022, upon the discharge of any child from
the emergency department of a hospital licensed pursuant to chapter
368v of the general statutes, such department shall provide the parent
or guardian of such child a copy of the document developed pursuant
to subsection (a) of this section that pertains to the mental health region
in which the (1) department is located, and (2) child resides, if different,
provided such child resides in this state. Such copies shall be provided
(A) (i) in printed form, or (ii) through such child's patient chart in the
electronic health record system, as defined in section 19a-904c of the
general statutes, maintained by such hospital, provided such patient
chart was created prior to the date of such child's discharge, and (B) by
electronic mail to the electronic mail address of such parent or guardian,
at such parent or guardian's election.
(c) Not later than December 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, the
Department of Children and Families shall review the documents
developed pursuant to subsection (a) of this section and update such
documents as necessary. If such documents are updated, the
Department of Children and Families shall provide such updated
documents to the Behavioral Health Partnership Oversight Council, and
the council shall distribute and make such updated documents available
in the manner described in subsection (a) of this section.
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2021) (a) Not later than January 1, 2022,
each local and regional board of education shall make available on such
board's Internet web site the document developed by the Department of
Children and Families pursuant to subsection (a) of section 1 of this act,
concerning behavioral and mental health evaluation and treatment Substitute House Bill No. 6510
Public Act No. 21-116 3 of 3
resources available to children in the mental health region in which such
board is located.
(b) On and after January 1, 2022, each local and regional board of
education shall distribute the document described in subsection (a) of
this section (1) to any student taking a course in health and safety, and
(2) at least semiannually, in September and May, to the parents and
guardians of each student in the school district.