SENATE BILL No. 52

 

 

January 23, 2003, Introduced by Senators BERNERO, GEORGE, GARCIA, TOY, THOMAS,

     LELAND, HAMMERSTROM, JOHNSON, CHERRY, BRATER, GOSCHKA, JACOBS,

     CLARK-COLEMAN, BASHAM, McMANUS, CASSIS, SCHAUER, STAMAS,

     BIRKHOLZ, OLSHOVE, SWITALSKI, PRUSI, Van WOERKOM, EMERSON, CLARKE,

     JELINEK, ALLEN and HARDIMAN and referred to the Committee on Health Policy.

        

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to create the office of the legislative mental health                      

                                                                                

    ombudsman; to prescribe the powers and duties of the legislative            

                                                                                

    mental health ombudsman, the legislative council, certain state             

                                                                                

    departments and officers, and certain county and private agencies           

                                                                                

    serving children; and to provide remedies from certain                      

                                                                                

    administrative acts.                                                        

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 1.  This act shall be known and may be cited as the                    

                                                                                

2   "legislative mental health ombudsman act".                                  

                                                                                

3       Sec. 2.  As used in this act:                                               

                                                                                

4       (a) "Administrative act" includes an action, omission,                      

                                                                                

5   decision, recommendation, practice, or other procedure of the               

                                                                                

6   department, a CMHSP, a mental health professional, a facility, or           

                                                                                

7   a hospital with respect to a particular applicant for or                    

                                                                                

8   recipient of mental health services.                                        

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (b) "Applicant" means an individual or his or her legal                     

                                                                                

2   representative who makes a request for mental health services               

                                                                                

3   from the department, a CMHSP, a facility, or a hospital or from a           

                                                                                

4   provider or mental health professional operating under contract             

                                                                                

5   with the department or a CMHSP.                                             

                                                                                

6       (c) "CMHSP" means a community mental health services program                

                                                                                

7   operated under chapter 2 of the mental health code, 1974 PA 258,            

                                                                                

8   MCL 330.1200a to 330.1245, as a county community mental health              

                                                                                

9   agency, a community mental health authority, or a community                 

                                                                                

10  mental health organization.                                                 

                                                                                

11      (d) "Complainant" means an individual who makes a complaint                 

                                                                                

12  as provided in section 5.                                                   

                                                                                

13      (e) "Department" means the department of community health.                  

                                                                                

14      (f) "Facility" means a residential facility for the care or                 

                                                                                

15  treatment of individuals with serious mental illness, serious               

                                                                                

16  emotional disturbance, or developmental disability that is either           

                                                                                

17  a state facility or a licensed facility.                                    

                                                                                

18      (g) "Family member" means a parent, stepparent, spouse,                     

                                                                                

19  sibling, child, or grandparent of an applicant or recipient or an           

                                                                                

20  individual upon whom an applicant or recipient is dependent for             

                                                                                

21  at least 50% of his or her financial support.                               

                                                                                

22      (h) "Guardian" means a person appointed by the court to                     

                                                                                

23  exercise specific powers over an individual who is a minor,                 

                                                                                

24  legally incapacitated, or developmentally disabled.                         

                                                                                

25      (i) "Hospital" or "psychiatric hospital" means an inpatient                 

                                                                                

26  program operated by the department for the treatment of                     

                                                                                

27  individuals with serious mental illness or serious emotional                

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   disturbance or a psychiatric hospital or psychiatric unit                   

                                                                                

2   licensed under section 137 of the mental health code, 1974                  

                                                                                

3   PA 258, MCL 330.1137.                                                       

                                                                                

4       (j) "Legislative council" means the legislative council                     

                                                                                

5   established under section 15 of article IV of the state                     

                                                                                

6   constitution of 1963.                                                       

                                                                                

7       (k) "Legislator" means a member of the senate or the house of               

                                                                                

8   representatives of this state.                                              

                                                                                

9                                                                                (l) "Licensed facility" means a facility licensed by the                            

                                                                                

10  department under section 137 of the mental health code, 1974                

                                                                                

11  PA 258, MCL 330.1137, or an adult foster care facility licensed             

                                                                                

12  under the adult foster care facility licensing act, 1979 PA 218,            

                                                                                

13  MCL 400.701 to 400.737.                                                     

                                                                                

14      Sec. 2a.  As used in this act:                                              

                                                                                

15      (a) "Mental health professional" means an individual who is                 

                                                                                

16  trained and experienced in the area of mental illness or                    

                                                                                

17  developmental disabilities and who is 1 of the following:                   

                                                                                

18                                                                               (i) A physician who is licensed to practice medicine or                             

                                                                                

19  osteopathic medicine and surgery in this state under article 15             

                                                                                

20  of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.16101 to                    

                                                                                

21  333.18838.                                                                  

                                                                                

22      (ii) A psychologist licensed to practice in this state under                 

                                                                                

23  article 15 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.16101            

                                                                                

24  to 333.18838.                                                               

                                                                                

25      (iii) A registered professional nurse licensed to practice in                

                                                                                

26  this state under article 15 of the public health code, 1978                 

                                                                                

27  PA 368, MCL 333.16101 to 333.18838.                                         

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (iv) A certified social worker, a social worker, or a social                 

                                                                                

2   worker technician registered in this state under article 15 of              

                                                                                

3   the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.16101 to 333.18838.            

                                                                                

4       (v) A licensed professional counselor licensed to practice in               

                                                                                

5   this state under article 15 of the public health code, 1978                 

                                                                                

6   PA 368, MCL 333.16101 to 333.18838.                                         

                                                                                

7       (vi) A marriage and family therapist licensed under article                  

                                                                                

8   15 of the public health code, 1978 PA 368, MCL 333.16101 to                 

                                                                                

9   333.18838.                                                                  

                                                                                

10      (b) "Minor" means an individual under the age of 18 years.                  

                                                                                

11      (c) "Office" means the office of the legislative mental                     

                                                                                

12  health ombudsman created under this act.                                    

                                                                                

13      (d) "Ombudsman" means the mental health ombudsman created in                

                                                                                

14  section 3.                                                                  

                                                                                

15      (e) "Recipient" means an individual who receives mental                     

                                                                                

16  health services from the department, a community mental health              

                                                                                

17  services program, a facility, or a hospital or from a provider or           

                                                                                

18  mental health professional operating under contract with the                

                                                                                

19  department or a CMHSP.                                                      

                                                                                

20      Sec. 3.  (1) As a means of monitoring and ensuring                          

                                                                                

21  compliance with relevant statutes, rules, and policies pertaining           

                                                                                

22  to mental health services, the office of the legislative mental             

                                                                                

23  health ombudsman is created within the legislative council.                 

                                                                                

24      (2) The principal executive officer of the office of the                    

                                                                                

25  legislative mental health ombudsman is the legislative mental               

                                                                                

26  health ombudsman, who shall be appointed by and serve at the                

                                                                                

27  pleasure of the legislative council.                                        

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       Sec. 4.  (1) The legislative council shall establish                        

                                                                                

2   procedures for approving the budget for the office, expending               

                                                                                

3   funds, and employing personnel.  Subject to annual appropriation,           

                                                                                

4   the office shall employ sufficient personnel to carry out the               

                                                                                

5   duties and powers prescribed by this act.                                   

                                                                                

6       (2) The ombudsman shall establish procedures for receiving                  

                                                                                

7   and processing complaints from complainants, conducting                     

                                                                                

8   investigations, holding hearings, and reporting findings                    

                                                                                

9   resulting from investigations.                                              

                                                                                

10      Sec. 5.  All of the following individuals may file a                        

                                                                                

11  complaint with the office with respect to a particular applicant            

                                                                                

12  or recipient, alleging that an administrative act or omission is            

                                                                                

13  contrary to law, rule, or policy, imposed without an adequate               

                                                                                

14  statement of reason, or based on irrelevant, immaterial, or                 

                                                                                

15  erroneous grounds:                                                          

                                                                                

16      (a) The applicant or recipient, if he or she is able to                     

                                                                                

17  articulate a complaint.                                                     

                                                                                

18      (b) A minor applicant's or recipient's parent.                              

                                                                                

19      (c) An applicant's or recipient's guardian.                                 

                                                                                

20      (d) An applicant's or recipient's family member.                            

                                                                                

21      (e) A Michigan legislator.                                                  

                                                                                

22      (f) An attorney for an individual described in subdivisions                 

                                                                                

23  (a) to (e).                                                                 

                                                                                

24      Sec. 6.  The ombudsman may do all of the following:                         

                                                                                

25      (a) Upon his or her own initiative or upon receipt of a                     

                                                                                

26  complaint from a complainant, investigate an administrative act             

                                                                                

27  or omission that is alleged to be contrary to law or rule, or               

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   contrary to the policy of the department, a CMHSP, a facility, or           

                                                                                

2   a hospital imposed without an adequate statement of reason, or              

                                                                                

3   based on irrelevant, immaterial, or erroneous grounds.                      

                                                                                

4       (b) Decide, in his or her discretion, whether to investigate                

                                                                                

5   a complaint.                                                                

                                                                                

6       (c) Upon his or her own initiative or upon receipt of a                     

                                                                                

7   complaint from a complainant, conduct a preliminary investigation           

                                                                                

8   to determine whether a mental health professional may have                  

                                                                                

9   committed an administrative act or omission that is alleged to be           

                                                                                

10  contrary to law, rule, the Michigan rules of professional conduct           

                                                                                

11  adopted by the Michigan supreme court, or the commonly accepted             

                                                                                

12  practice standards of the mental health profession.                         

                                                                                

13      (d) Hold informal hearings and request that individuals                     

                                                                                

14  appear before the ombudsman and give testimony or produce                   

                                                                                

15  documentary or other evidence that the ombudsman considers                  

                                                                                

16  relevant to a matter under investigation.                                   

                                                                                

17      (e) Make recommendations to the governor and the legislature                

                                                                                

18  concerning the need for mental health services legislation.                 

                                                                                

19      Sec. 7.  (1) Upon rendering a decision to investigate a                     

                                                                                

20  complaint from a complainant, the ombudsman shall notify the                

                                                                                

21  complainant of the decision to investigate and shall notify the             

                                                                                

22  department, CMHSP, mental health professional, facility, or                 

                                                                                

23  hospital of the intention to investigate.  If the ombudsman                 

                                                                                

24  declines to investigate a complaint or continue an investigation,           

                                                                                

25  the ombudsman shall notify the complainant and the department,              

                                                                                

26  CMHSP, mental health professional, facility, or hospital of the             

                                                                                

27  decision and reason for the ombudsman's action.                             

                                                                                


                                                                                

1       (2) The ombudsman may advise a complainant to pursue all                    

                                                                                

2   administrative remedies or channels of complaint open to the                

                                                                                

3   complainant before pursuing a complaint with the ombudsman.                 

                                                                                

4   Subsequent to the administrative processing of a complaint, the             

                                                                                

5   ombudsman may conduct a further investigation of a complaint at             

                                                                                

6   the request of the complainant or on the ombudsman's own                    

                                                                                

7   initiative.                                                                 

                                                                                

8       (3) If the ombudsman finds in the course of an investigation                

                                                                                

9   that an individual's action or omission is in violation of state            

                                                                                

10  or federal criminal law, the ombudsman shall immediately report             

                                                                                

11  that fact to the county prosecutor or the attorney general.                 

                                                                                

12      Sec. 8.  (1) The department, CMHSP, mental health                           

                                                                                

13  professional, facility, and hospital shall do all of the                    

                                                                                

14  following:                                                                  

                                                                                

15      (a) Upon the ombudsman's request, grant the ombudsman or his                

                                                                                

16  or her designee access to all relevant information, records, and            

                                                                                

17  documents in the department's, CMHSP's, mental health                       

                                                                                

18  professional's, facility's, or hospital's possession that the               

                                                                                

19  ombudsman considers necessary in an investigation.                          

                                                                                

20      (b) Assist the ombudsman to obtain the necessary releases of                

                                                                                

21  documents that are specifically restricted.                                 

                                                                                

22      (c) Provide the ombudsman upon request with progress reports                

                                                                                

23  concerning the administrative processing of a complaint.                    

                                                                                

24      (2) The department, CMHSP, mental health professional,                      

                                                                                

25  facility, or hospital shall provide information to an applicant             

                                                                                

26  or recipient, a minor applicant's or recipient's parent, an                 

                                                                                

27  applicant's or recipient's guardian, or an applicant's or                   

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   recipient's family member or an applicant's or recipient's                  

                                                                                

2   attorney regarding the provisions of this act.                              

                                                                                

3       Sec. 9.  The ombudsman shall treat a matter under                           

                                                                                

4   investigation, including the identity of an applicant or                    

                                                                                

5   recipient or individual from whom information is acquired, as               

                                                                                

6   confidential, except so far as disclosure is necessary to enable            

                                                                                

7   the ombudsman to perform the duties of the office and to support            

                                                                                

8   a recommendation resulting from an investigation.  A record of              

                                                                                

9   the office of the ombudsman is confidential, shall be used only             

                                                                                

10  for purposes set forth in this act, and is not subject to court             

                                                                                

11  subpoena.  A record of the office of the ombudsman is exempt from           

                                                                                

12  disclosure under the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442,               

                                                                                

13  MCL 15.231 to 15.246.                                                       

                                                                                

14      Sec. 10.  (1) The ombudsman shall prepare a report of the                   

                                                                                

15  findings of an investigation and make a recommendation to the               

                                                                                

16  department, CMHSP, mental health professional, facility, or                 

                                                                                

17  hospital if the ombudsman finds 1 or more of the following:                 

                                                                                

18      (a) A matter should be further considered by the department,                

                                                                                

19  CMHSP, mental health professional, facility, or hospital.                   

                                                                                

20      (b) An administrative act or omission should be modified or                 

                                                                                

21  canceled.                                                                   

                                                                                

22      (c) Reasons should be given for an administrative act or                    

                                                                                

23  omission.                                                                   

                                                                                

24      (d) Other action should be taken by the department, CMHSP,                  

                                                                                

25  mental health professional, facility, or hospital.                          

                                                                                

26      (2) The ombudsman may request to be notified by the                         

                                                                                

27  department, CMHSP, mental health professional, facility, or                 

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   hospital, within a specified time, of action taken on his or her            

                                                                                

2   recommendation.                                                             

                                                                                

3       (3) The ombudsman shall notify the complainant of the action                

                                                                                

4   taken by the ombudsman and by the department, CMHSP, mental                 

                                                                                

5   health professional, facility, or hospital.                                 

                                                                                

6       (4) The ombudsman shall provide the complainant with a copy                 

                                                                                

7   of the recommendation on a complaint.                                       

                                                                                

8       (5) The ombudsman shall submit to the legislative council,                  

                                                                                

9   the director of the department, and the legislature an annual               

                                                                                

10  report on the conduct of the ombudsman, including recommendations           

                                                                                

11  regarding the need for legislation or for change in rules or                

                                                                                

12  policies.                                                                   

                                                                                

13      Sec. 11.  (1) The department, a CMHSP, a mental health                      

                                                                                

14  professional, a facility, or a hospital shall not penalize a                

                                                                                

15  person for filing a complaint or cooperating with the ombudsman             

                                                                                

16  in investigating a complaint.                                               

                                                                                

17      (2) An individual, the department, or a CMHSP, mental health                

                                                                                

18  professional, facility, or hospital shall not hinder the lawful             

                                                                                

19  actions of the ombudsman or the ombudsman's employees.                      

                                                                                

20      Sec. 12.  The authority granted the ombudsman under this act                

                                                                                

21  is in addition to the authority granted under the provisions of             

                                                                                

22  any other act or rule under which the remedy or right of appeal             

                                                                                

23  or objection is provided for a person, or procedure provided for            

                                                                                

24  inquiry into or investigation of a matter.  The authority granted           

                                                                                

25  the ombudsman does not limit or affect the remedy or right of               

                                                                                

26  appeal or objection and is not an exclusive remedy or procedure.            

                                                                                

27      Enacting section 1.  This act takes effect January 1, 2004.