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Regular Session, 2012
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 79
BY SENATOR MURRAY
MENTAL HEALTH. To study the effects of the reduction of state funds as related to
inpatient behavioral health facilities, including those treating both mental illness and
substance abuse, in Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard parishes and have a
preliminary and comprehensive report presented to certain entities.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To urge and request that the hospitals and behavioral health treatment facilities in the2
parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard report to the president3
of the Louisiana Senate, the speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives, the4
Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, the House of Representatives Committee5
on Health and Welfare, and the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children6
certain information regarding the quantity of behavioral health treatment, including7
both mental illness and substance abuse, sought in the four parishes during specific8
time frames.9
WHEREAS, the citizens of Louisiana in the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson,10
Plaquemines, and St. Bernard who require inpatient care for behavioral health issues,11
including mental illness and substance abuse, particularly when experiencing an initial acute12
crisis and during any follow-up inpatient treatment are facing substantial reductions in the13
access to inpatient beds available as a result of reductions in funding to various agencies of14
the state, particularly the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and its affiliated15
hospitals and clinics in the four-parish area; and16
WHEREAS, it is expected that the funding reductions proposed in the 2012-201317
Fiscal Year budget will cause the elimination of available mental health and substance abuse18 SCR NO. 79
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inpatient beds and related behavioral health treatment services which will adversely affect1
the citizens in the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard; and2
WHEREAS, these reductions in patient care dollars from the state will impose3
hardships on municipalities and parish governments in dealing with citizens with mental4
health and substance abuse issues on the streets rather than in appropriate inpatient facilities;5
and6
WHEREAS, the reduction in funding for treating those with behavioral health issues7
will further stress limited local response mechanisms, services, and supports, including local8
emergency services which have been unduly burdened since 2005 in the aftermath of9
hurricanes Katrina and Rita; and10
WHEREAS, it is feared that the safety of the general population will be placed at11
greater risk as a result of the scarcity of treatment options for those with mental health and12
substance abuse issues.13
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby14
request that each licensed hospital and behavioral health treatment facility in the parishes of15
Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard monitor the inflow and outflow of patients16
seeking behavioral health treatment, both mental health and substance abuse, in emergency17
rooms.18
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each licensed hospital and behavioral health19
treatment facility in the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard monitor20
the number of hours, to the nearest quarter hour, the duration of inpatient treatment for21
patients in need of inpatient or residential care for behavioral health, both mental health or22
substance abuse, treatment in acute psychiatric units and licensed substance abuse treatment23
facilities for those in need of inpatient or residential care.24
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each licensed hospital and behavioral health25
treatment facility in the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard monitor26
the average length of stay in these facilities for those seeking treatment in acute psychiatric27
units and licensed substance abuse facilities.28
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each licensed hospital and behavioral health29
treatment facility in the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard monitor30 SCR NO. 79
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the number of citizens who seek treatment for mental health or substance abuse issues1
outside the city of New Orleans and the distance traveled from home by each patient seeking2
such services.3
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each licensed hospital and behavioral health4
treatment facility in the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard monitor5
their hospitalization and substance abuse facility rates per patient per day and prepare a6
monthly compilation of those costs.7
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each licensed hospital and behavioral health8
treatment facility in the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard report9
all these findings monthly in an easy-to-follow report to be issued by way of both electronic10
mail and United States mail to the following:11
(1) The president of the Louisiana Senate and the speaker of the Louisiana12
House of Representatives.13
(2) The respective chairmen of the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare14
and the House Committee on Health and Welfare to be distributed to all committee15
members.16
(3) The chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children.17
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a comprehensive report, reporting on the period18
from the time of the adoption of this Resolution through December 31, 2012, be delivered19
to all the above no later than March 1, 2013.20
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such reporting shall continue throughout the21
2012-2013 Fiscal Year and be compiled in a comprehensive report of the numbers from both22
2012 and 2013 and presented to the above by February 1, 2014.23
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the24
Department of Health and Hospitals to notify all licensed hospitals and behavioral health25
treatment facilities, including those for both mental illness and substance abuse treatment26
in the parishes of Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard; to the president of the27
Louisiana Senate, the speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives; the chairmen of28
the Senate and House committees on health and welfare; and the chairman of the Senate29
Select Committee on Women and Children.30 SCR NO. 79
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The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Mary Dozier O'Brien.
DIGEST
Murray SCR No. 79
Requests that all licensed hospitals and behavioral health treatment facilities in the parishes
of Orleans, Jefferson, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard report certain information regarding the
treatment of mental health and substance abuse patient treatment.
Requires the requested information be compiled in a report to be delivered to the president
of the Senate, the speaker of the House, the chairmen of the Senate and House committees
on health and welfare, and the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Women and
Children.
Comprehensive reports shall be compiled after December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2013
and delivered to the entities by February 1, 2014.