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OLR Bill Analysis
sHB 6637 (as amended by House "A")*
AN ACT CONCERNING A MENTAL HEALTH BILL OF RIGHTS FOR
DEAF, DEAFBLIND AND HARD OF HEARING PERSONS.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes a bill of rights for individuals in need of mental
health services who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing. It specifies
that the rights afforded these individuals must be available to them
only to the extent that they are implemented in accordance with the
general statutes, federal law, and the state and U.S. constitutions.
The bill changes the name of the Advisory Board for Persons Who
are Deaf or Hard of Hearing to the Advisory Board for Persons Who
are Deaf, Hard of Hearing or Deafblind. It makes several minor and
conforming changes in the statutes governing the advisory board to:
1. allow board representation by service providers who work with
individuals who are deafblind;
2. expand the board’s duties to include considering and
advocating for their service needs (e.g., making legislative
recommendations; monitoring services; and discussing best
practices with agency heads); and
3. eliminate the requirement that the governor appoint the eight
ex-officio members, thus enabling their immediate board
participation upon assuming their outside positions.
The bill also defines several terms related to the bill of rights and the
duties of the Advisory Board for Persons Who are Deaf, Hard of
Hearing or Deafblind.
*House Amendment “A ” eliminates (1) the underlying bill’s
requirement that the bill of rights be implemented in accordance with 2021HB-06637-R01-BA.DOCX
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state policies, procedures, and regulations and (2) current law’s
requirement that the governor appoint the advisory board’s eight ex-
officio members.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2021
MENTAL HEALTH BILL O F RIGHTS
The bill establishes a bill of rights for persons in need of mental
health services who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing under
which a person has a right to:
1. culturally and linguistically affirmative mental health services
that accommodate his or her unique needs;
2. accessible mental health services delivered in his or her primary
language or communication mode or style;
3. specialized mental health services when necessary that provide
appropriate and fully accessible counseling and therapeutic
options using an appropriate oral, aural, or speech-based
system tailored to his or her unique needs;
4. express his or her opinion in determining the extent, content,
and purpose of mental health treatment or services that
accommodate his or her unique needs;
5. programs offering access to a full continuum of services,
including all modes of therapy and evaluations;
6. programs informed by appropriate research, curricula, staff,
and outreach; and
7. express his or her views concerning the development and
implementation of state and regional programs for his or her
mental health service needs.
The bill defines “culturally and linguistically affirmative mental
health services“ as the provision of a full continuum of mental health
services to a deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing person through an 2021HB-06637-R01-BA.DOCX
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appropriately licensed mental health professional fluent in the primary
language, communication mode or style, and cultural needs of the
person requiring these services.
“Accessible mental health services” is defined under the bill as the
provision of a full continuum of mental health services with the use of
auxiliary aids and services necessary for a deaf, deafblind, or hard of
hearing person to communicate with appropriately qualified mental
health professionals who are not fluent in the primary language or
communication mode or style of the person requiring such services,
including qualified interpreters using the language or communication
mode used by such person, written communications, or assistive
listening devices.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Human Services Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 19 Nay 0 (04/01/2021)