For amend and vote only, upon recommitment, the Senate Appropriations Committee heard HB 1006 on mental health programs authored by Rep. Steuerwald and sponsored by Sens. Freeman, Crider, and Koch. The bill specifies the circumstances under which a person may be involuntarily committed to a facility for mental health services when medically necessary. The bill also establishes a local mental health referral program to provide mental health treatment for certain persons who have been arrested.
The bill was amended to make it permissive for the state to pay the costs of a psychological evaluation. A second amendment added language throughout that the mental health services are medically necessary “when provided in accordance with generally accepted clinical care guidelines.” The amended bill passed 9-0.
Read the bill at https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/bills/house/1006