23 LC 33 9173
H. B. 4
- 1 -
House Bill 4
By: Representatives Scott of the 76
th
, Davis of the 87
th
, Carter of the 93
rd
, Taylor of the 92
nd
,
Hutchinson of the 106
th
, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 37 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated,
1
relating to general provisions related to examination and treatment for mental illness, so as2
to require the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities to create,3
operate, and maintain an electronic inpatient psychiatric bed registry; to provide for4
definitions; to provide for contracting with a third party; to require psychiatric facilities and5
other providers to submit certain information to the department; to provide for accessibility6
to the registry to end users; to provide for an advisory committee; to provide for quarterly7
reporting to certain legislative committees; to authorize the department to establish a policy8
for secondary use of registry data; to require the department to provide for registry data to9
the contractor or entity that operates the Georgia Crisis and Access Line; to provide for10
related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.11
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:12
SECTION 1.13
Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 37 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to14
general provisions related to examination and treatment for mental illness, is amended by15
adding a new Code section to read as follows:16 23 LC 33 9173
H. B. 4
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"37-3-9.17
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:18
(1) 'Advisory committee' means the committee established pursuant to subsection (f) of19
this Code section.20
(2) 'Psychiatric facility' shall have the same meaning as 'facility' as defined in paragraph21
(7) of Code Section 37-3-1.22
(3) 'Registry' means the electronic inpatient psychiatric bed registry created pursuant to23
subsection (b) of this Code section.24
(b) The department shall establish and administer an electronic inpatient psychiatric bed25
registry. The registry shall be a web-based resource to identify available psychiatric beds26
in this state categorized by patient gender, acuity, age, and diagnosis. The registry shall27
be accessible through the department's website.28
(c) The department may, by contract, delegate the creation, operation, and maintenance29
of the registry to a private entity.30
(d) Psychiatric facilities and other providers providing diagnosis, care, treatment, or31
hospitalization of persons who are mentally ill as identified by the department shall be32
required to provide the department with the number of inpatient psychiatric beds available33
in such facilities or by such other providers at the time the information is provided. The34
information shall be provided by psychiatric facilities and such other providers on a basis35
as close to real time as possible. Psychiatric facilities and other providers shall provide the36
department with such information as specified under subsection (g) of this Code section.37
(e) The registry shall be made accessible to end users of the registry, including, but not38
limited to, prepaid inpatient health plans, licensed health plans, community mental health39
services programs, acute care hospitals, psychiatric facilities, and employees and caregivers40
with other appropriate providers.41 23 LC 33 9173
H. B. 4
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(f) The department shall establish an advisory committee to provide guidance on the42
creation, operation, and maintenance of the registry. The advisory committee shall include43
representatives from the following groups:44
(1) The department;45
(2) The Department of Community Health;46
(3) Psychiatric facilities;47
(4) End users of the registry as described in subsection (e) of this Code section;48
(5) Consumers, families, and advocates; and49
(6) Law enforcement.50
(g) The department, in consultation with the advisory committee, shall establish51
requirements for psychiatric facilities and other providers identified by the department to52
report information to the department.53
(h) The department shall provide quarterly reports on the progress of implementing the54
registry beginning on October 1, 2023, to the chairpersons of the House Committee on55
Health and Human Services, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, the House56
Appropriations Health Subcommittee, and the Senate Appropriations Community Health57
Subcommittee.58
(i) The department, in consultation with the advisory committee, may establish a policy59
for the secondary use of registry data.60
(j) The department shall provide all of the information listed on the registry created61
pursuant to this Code section to the contractor or entity that operates or maintains the62
Georgia Crisis and Access Line."63
SECTION 2.64
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.65