HLS 24RS-1646 ORIGINAL
2024 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 961 (Substitute for House Bill No. 338 by Representative
Muscarello)
BY REPRESENTATIVE MUSCARELLO
CORRECTIONS/PRISONERS: Provides relative to the creation of a mental health
transition pilot program
1 AN ACT
2To enact R.S. 15:830.3, relative to the creation of a mental health transition pilot program;
3 to provide for a pilot program; to provide for administration of the pilot program in
4 certain parishes; to provide for eligibility; to provide for the duties of the Department
5 of Public Safety and Corrections; to provide for criteria; and to provide for related
6 matters.
7Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 15:830.3 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
9 ยง830.3. Mental health transition pilot program
10 A.(1) The Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall establish a
11 mental health transition pilot program to be administered within the parishes of
12 Livingston, St. Helena, and Tangipahoa to provide eligible individuals with
13 transition services in the community while on probation or parole.
14 (2) In order to determine eligibility for the program, the department shall
15 conduct basic level screening of individuals placed on probation or parole for mental
16 health disorders as defined in the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical
17 Manual of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association.
Page 1 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 24RS-1646 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 961
1 B. Each eligible individual who participates in the program shall be required,
2 as a condition of probation or parole, to immediately do all of the following upon
3 being placed on probation or released on parole:
4 (1) Schedule and attend all appointments at the Florida Parishes Human
5 Services Authority or any local governmental entity, district, or authority, for any
6 and all mental health or substance use disorder treatments, if indicated.
7 (2) Complete a Medicaid application.
8 C. The department shall apply for a demonstration waiver pursuant to 42
9 U.S.C. 1315 when established by the Louisiana Department of Health and approved
10 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
11 D. The department shall do all of the following:
12 (1) Conduct an annual study to determine the recidivism rates of individuals
13 who receive mental health transition services from a contracted entity pursuant to
14 this Section. The study shall include the recidivism rates of individuals who have
15 been placed on probation or released from incarceration for a minimum of one year
16 after placement on probation or release.
17 (2) On or before December thirty-first of each year, submit a written report
18 to the governor, the president of the Senate, the speaker of the House of
19 Representatives, and the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, and provide a
20 copy of this report to the secretary of state. The report may be submitted
21 electronically and shall contain the one-year rate of return of individuals to the
22 custody of the department based on those who received services in the program
23 compared to those who were placed on probation or released with a diagnosis of a
24 serious mental health disorder who did not receive services in the program during the
25 same period.
Page 2 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 24RS-1646 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 961
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 961 Original 2024 Regular Session Muscarello
Abstract: Establishes a mental health transition pilot program to be administered within the
parishes of Livingston, St. Helena, and Tangipahoa.
Proposed law provides that the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections shall establish a
mental health transition pilot program to be administered within the parishes of Livingston,
St. Helena, and Tangipahoa to provide eligible individuals with transition services in the
community while on probation or parole.
Proposed law provides that in order to determine eligibility for the program, the department
shall conduct basic level screening of individuals placed on probation or parole for mental
health disorders as defined in the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Assoc.
Proposed law provides that each eligible individual who participates in the program shall be
required, as a condition of probation or parole, to immediately do all of the following upon
being placed on probation or released on parole:
(1)Schedule and attend all appointments at the Florida Parishes Human Services
Authority or any local governmental entity, district, or authority, for any and all
mental health or substance use disorder treatments, if indicated.
(2)Complete a Medicaid application.
Proposed law provides that the department shall apply for a demonstration waiver pursuant
to present law (42 U.S.C. 1315) when established by the La. Dept. of Health and approved
by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Proposed law provides that the department shall do all of the following:
(1)Conduct an annual study to determine the recidivism rates of individuals who receive
a contracted entity's mental health transition services pursuant to proposed law.
Further provides that the study shall include the recidivism rates of individuals who
have been placed on probation or released from incarceration for a minimum of one
year after placement on probation or release.
(2)On or before Dec. 31st of each year, submit a written report to the governor, the
president of the Senate, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Joint
Legislative Committee on the Budget and provide a copy of this report to the
secretary of state. Further provides that the report may be submitted electronically
and shall contain the one-year rate of return of individuals to the custody of the
department.
(Adds R.S. 15:830.3)
Page 3 of 3
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.