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AN ACT relating to reorganization. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 194A IS CREATED TO 3
READ AS FOLLOWS: 4
As used in Sections 1 and 2 of this Act: 5
(1) "Community crisis response team" means the statewide team of trained 6
volunteers who provide behavioral health-related crisis response services in 7
accordance with protocols and procedures established by the department; 8
(2) "Crisis response services" means consultation, risk assessment, referral, and on-9
site crisis intervention services provided to persons with behavioral health needs 10
resulting from a crisis or disaster. "Crisis response services" shall not be 11
construed to include any services performed or intended to be performed by any 12
other agency of the Commonwealth, any of its subdivisions, or any private party 13
included under KRS Chapter 39A, 39B, or 224; 14
(3) "Department" means the Department for Behavioral Health, Intellectual and 15
Developmental Disabilities; and 16
(4) "Local community crisis response team" means a team of trained volunteers who 17
provide behavioral health-related crisis response services in a county, district, or 18
region in accordance with protocols and procedures established by the 19
department. 20
SECTION 2. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 194A IS CREATED TO 21
READ AS FOLLOWS: 22
(1) The department shall coordinate behavioral health-related community crisis and 23
disaster response. The department shall have primary responsibility and authority 24
for planning and executing behavioral health-related community crisis response 25
and behavioral health-related disaster response. 26
(2) The department shall: 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS HB 226/GA
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(a) Develop, update, and maintain a statewide community crisis response 1
support plan for providing crisis response services; 2
(b) Serve as the primary state agency for the core functional area of mental 3
health and substance abuse care under Emergency Support Function #8, 4
Public Health and Medical Services; 5
(c) Annually review the behavioral health portion of the Kentucky Emergency 6
Operations Plan and make recommendations for updates to the plan; 7
(d) Participate in state-level planning workgroups to address the provision of 8
crisis response services; 9
(e) Establish and maintain memoranda of understanding and master 10
agreements with local partners to provide crisis response services following 11
a disaster or critical incident; 12
(f) Develop, administer, and maintain a statewide system of registration and 13
credentialing of community crisis response volunteers to provide crisis 14
response services; 15
(g) Actively recruit volunteers to serve on the community crisis response team 16
and the local community crisis response teams, ensuring representation 17
from a diversity of first responders and behavioral health provider peer 18
groups; 19
(h) Develop, administer, and maintain a statewide network of registered, 20
credentialed, and regional response-ready volunteers to provide crisis 21
response services following a disaster or critical incidents in the 22
Commonwealth; 23
(i) Participate in local and statewide all-hazards and terrorism disaster 24
exercises focusing on meeting behavioral health needs of those affected; 25
(j) Create and execute all-hazards and terrorism disaster exercises for 26
volunteers for the community crisis response team and local community 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS HB 226/GA
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crisis response teams focusing on meeting behavioral health needs of those 1
affected; 2
(k) Apply for and administer Federal Emergency Management Agency crisis 3
counseling grants following a Presidential declaration, in collaboration 4
with local and regional behavioral health providers; and 5
(l) Apply for and administer community crisis response and disaster specific 6
behavioral health grants from: 7
1. The federal government; 8
2. Private foundations; and 9
3. Other sources that may be available for programs related to 10
supporting survivors of crisis events or community disasters. 11
Section 3. The following KRS sections are repealed: 12
36.250 Definitions for KRS 36.250 to 36.270. 13
36.255 Kentucky Community Crisis Response Board -- Members -- Meetings. 14
36.260 Duties of board. 15
36.265 Attorney General to represent board members in civil proceedings. 16
36.270 Status of state and local government employees acting on behalf of board. 17