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VT LEG #379264 v.1
H.29 1
Introduced by Representative Berbeco of Winooski 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Health; mental health; crisis response; health equity; land access 5
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to replace 6
references in the Vermont Statutes Annotated to Vermont Psychiatric 7
Survivors with MadFreedom, Inc. 8
An act relating to replacing statutory references to Vermont Psychiatric 9
Survivors with MadFreedom, Inc. 10
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 11
* * * Vermont Land Access and Opportunity Board * * * 12
Sec. 1. 10 V.S.A. § 325u is amended to read: 13
§ 325u. VERMONT LAND ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY BOARD 14
(a) Creation. There is created the Vermont Land Access and Opportunity 15
Board to promote improvements in access to woodlands, farmland, and land 16
and home ownership for Vermonters from historically marginalized or 17
disadvantaged communities who continue to face barriers to land and home 18
ownership. The Board shall be attached to the Vermont Housing and 19
Conservation Board for administrative purposes. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.29
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(b) Organization of Board. The Board shall be composed of: 1
* * * 2
(11) one member, appointed by Vermont Psychiatric Survivors 3
MadFreedom, Inc. 4
* * * 5
* * * Health Equity Advisory Commission * * * 6
Sec. 2. 18 V.S.A. § 252 is amended to read: 7
§ 252. HEALTH EQUITY ADVISORY COMMISSION 8
(a) Creation. There is created the Health Equity Advisory Commission to 9
promote health equity and eradicate health disparities among Vermonters, 10
including particularly those who are Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color; 11
individuals who are LGBTQ; and individuals with disabilities. The Advisory 12
Commission shall amplify the voices of impacted communities regarding 13
decisions made by the State that impact health equity, whether in the provision 14
of health care services or as the result of social determinants of health. The 15
Advisory Commission shall also provide strategic guidance on the 16
development of the Office of Health Equity, including recommendations on the 17
structure, responsibilities, and jurisdiction of such an office. 18
(b) Membership. 19
(1) The Advisory Commission shall be composed of the following 20
members: 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.29
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* * * 1
(T) a member, appointed by Vermont Psychiatric Survivors 2
MadFreedom, Inc.; 3
* * * 4
* * * Mental Health Crisis Response Commission * * * 5
Sec. 3. 18 V.S.A. § 7257a is amended to read: 6
§ 7257a. MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS RESPONSE COMMISSION 7
* * * 8
(c)(1) The Commission shall comprise the following members: 9
* * * 10
(H) an individual who has a personal experience of living with a 11
mental condition or psychiatric disability, appointed by Vermont Psychiatric 12
Survivors MadFreedom, Inc.; 13
* * * 14
* * * Mental Health Response Service Guidelines * * * 15
Sec. 4. 18 V.S.A. § 7260 is amended to read: 16
§ 7260. MENTAL HEALTH RESPONSE SERVICE GUIDELINES 17
(a) The Department shall develop guidelines for use by municipalities, 18
including use by emergency medical technicians and public safety personnel, 19
such as law enforcement officers as defined by 20 V.S.A. § 2351a and 20
firefighters as defined in 20 V.S.A. § 3151, who are employed, volunteer, or 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.29
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are under contract with a municipality. The guidelines shall recommend best 1
practices for de-escalation and for mental health response services, including 2
crisis response services. The Department shall make the guidelines available 3
to municipalities and publish the guidelines on the Department’s website. 4
(b) In developing the guidelines required pursuant to subsection (a) of this 5
section, the Department shall consult with the following entities: 6
* * * 7
(5) the Vermont Psychiatric Survivors MadFreedom, Inc.; 8
* * * 9
* * * Effective Date * * * 10
Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE 11
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 12