CHAPTER 58
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1
CHAPTER 58
( HB 226 )
AN ACT relating to reorganization.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky:
SECTION 1. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 194A IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
As used in Sections 1 and 2 of this Act:
(1) "Community crisis response team" means the statewide team of trained volunteers who provide behavioral
health-related crisis response services in accordance with protocols and procedures established by the
department;
(2) "Crisis response services" means consultation, risk assessment, referral, and on-site crisis intervention
services provided to persons with behavioral health needs resulting from a crisis or disaster. "Crisis
response services" shall not be construed to include any services performed or intended to be performed by
any other agency of the Commonwealth, any of its subdivisions, or any private party included under KRS
Chapter 39A, 39B, or 224;
(3) "Department" means the Department for Behavioral Health, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities;
and
(4) "Local community crisis response team" means a team of trained volunteers who provide behavioral
health-related crisis response services in a county, district, or region in accordance with protocols and
procedures established by the department.
SECTION 2. A NEW SECTION OF KRS CHAPTER 194A IS CREATED TO READ AS FOLLOWS:
(1) The department shall coordinate behavioral health-related community crisis and disaster response. The
department shall have primary responsibility and authority for planning and executing behavioral health-
related community crisis response and behavioral health-related disaster response.
(2) The department shall:
(a) Develop, update, and maintain a statewide community crisis response support plan for providing
crisis response services;
(b) Serve as the primary state agency for the core functional area of mental health and substance abuse
care under Emergency Support Function #8, Public Health and Medical Services;
(c) Annually review the behavioral health portion of the Kentucky Emergency Operations Plan and
make recommendations for updates to the plan;
(d) Participate in state-level planning workgroups to address the provision of crisis response services;
(e) Establish and maintain memoranda of understanding and master agreements with local partners to
provide crisis response services following a disaster or critical incident;
(f) Develop, administer, and maintain a statewide system of registration and credentialing of community
crisis response volunteers to provide crisis response services;
(g) Actively recruit volunteers to serve on the community crisis response team and the local community
crisis response teams, ensuring representation from a diversity of first responders and behavioral
health provider peer groups;
(h) Develop, administer, and maintain a statewide network of registered, credentialed, and regional
response-ready volunteers to provide crisis response services following a disaster or critical incidents
in the Commonwealth;
(i) Participate in local and statewide all-hazards and terrorism disaster exercises focusing on meeting
behavioral health needs of those affected; ACTS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2
(j) Create and execute all-hazards and terrorism disaster exercises for volunteers for the community
crisis response team and local community crisis response teams focusing on meeting behavioral
health needs of those affected;
(k) Apply for and administer Federal Emergency Management Agency crisis counseling grants
following a Presidential declaration, in collaboration with local and regional behavioral health
providers; and
(l) Apply for and administer community crisis response and disaster specific behavioral health grants
from:
1. The federal government;
2. Private foundations; and
3. Other sources that may be available for programs related to supporting survivors of crisis
events or community disasters.
Section 3. The following KRS sections are repealed:
36.250 Definitions for KRS 36.250 to 36.270.
36.255 Kentucky Community Crisis Response Board -- Members -- Meetings.
36.260 Duties of board.
36.265 Attorney General to represent board members in civil proceedings.
36.270 Status of state and local government employees acting on behalf of board.
Signed by Governor March 22, 2023.