MENTAL HEALTH DISCHARGE PLANNING H.B. 4700:
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
House Bill 4700 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Mary Whiteford
Senate Committee: Judiciary and Public Safety
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Corrections Code to do the following:
-- Require the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) to create a prerelease mental health discharge plan for each prisoner who was receiving mental health services or mental health prescription medication before he or she was released on parole.
-- Allow the MDOC to seek consultative assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in creating a discharge plan.
-- Require the MDOC to note in the record maintained for the prisoner if he or she refused discharge planning.
-- Require the DHHS to take reasonable steps to assist the MDOC if the MDOC requested assistance with discharge planning.
-- Allow the MDOC to use a care management software program to design the discharge plan if the program met certain requirements.
MCL 791.234 Legislative Analyst: Stephen Jackson
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have a negative fiscal impact on the State, though the size of the impact is unknown. Much of the bill would codify procedure already being implemented by the Department of Corrections, although the Department does not currently schedule appointments after release with a mental health professional. This provision would require additional time and resources from staff.
Also, the bill would authorize the MDOC to use a care management software program to design the prerelease mental health discharge plan, although it would not be required. The Department does not currently have such a software package and purchasing one could incur significant information technology costs. It is not known whether the MDOC would purchase a software package, or whether a software package would be more efficient or cost effective than other means of creating discharge plans.
The bill would have an indeterminate but potentially significant negative fiscal impact on the DHHS as a result of the proposed requirement that the DHHS provide, upon request from the Department of Corrections, community-based mental health services throughout the period of parole. For fiscal year (FY) 2020-21, the match rate for the traditional Medicaid program is 64.08% and the match rate for the Healthy Michigan Plan is 90.0%. Each additional parolee who received mental health services through either the traditional Medicaid or Healthy Michigan Plan would result in an increase in State costs of $0.3592 or $0.10, respectively, for each additional $1.00 in services provided.
For each additional parolee who received mental health services through a community mental health service provider (CMHSP) who is not eligible for traditional Medicaid or the Healthy Michigan Plan, State costs would increase by $1.00 for each additional $1.00 in services provided. Additionally, the bulk of the spending for the non-Medicaid services would come from the Community Mental Health Non-Medicaid Services line item, which has an appropriation of $125,578,200 in FY 2020-21. Since the funding in this line is not related to an entitlement program, the CMHSPs must make decisions based on the severity of need and availability of resources when utilizing their allocated funding from this line item. A significant increase in spending on mental health services for non-Medicaid eligible parolees could reduce the available funding for other non-Medicaid eligible populations.
Date Completed: 11-13-20 Fiscal Analyst: Ellyn Ackerman
Ryan Bergan
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.