RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 737 (HB 849) 2024 Regular Session Illg
New law requires a healthcare professional or healthcare provider that provides behavioral
health services to accept and document information provided by a patient's family members,
friends, caregivers, or healthcare professionals unless the healthcare professional or
healthcare provider believes accepting and documenting the provided information is not
relevant to the patient's care or treatment.
New law states that if a patient is admitted for inpatient behavioral healthcare services as a
result of an emergency certificate, the individual responsible for discharge planning at the
inpatient healthcare facility shall make a reasonable effort to do all of the following:
(1)Notify any healthcare professional known to be currently treating the patient for a
behavioral health condition that the patient is to be discharged, unless the patient
objects to the notification.
(2)Notify any healthcare professional that the patient is referred to for follow-up
behavioral health services of the patient's discharge within 24 hours of the discharge.
The referring healthcare professional or healthcare provider shall provide a summary
of the patient's condition and any medically relevant information no later than the
date the patient has been scheduled for follow-up behavioral health services.
(3)Provide the patient with educational documents created and published by the La.
Dept. of Health prior to discharge explaining the signs of self-harm and the
importance of seeking follow-up care.
New law designates new law as the "Matthew Samuel Milam Act".
Effective August 1, 2024.
(Adds R.S. 28:4 and 53.1)