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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
state hospital; bed availability
Purpose
Requires the Arizona State Hospital (ASH) to admit patients based on clinical need and prohibits ASH from placing a limit on admission due to a patient's county of residence.
Background
ASH is a 260-bed facility, operated and regulated by DHS, that provides long-term inpatient psychiatric care to individuals with mental illnesses, personality disorders or emotional conditions who are under a court order to receive treatment. Treatment at ASH is considered the highest and most restrictive level of mental health care in Arizona. Patients are admitted as a result of an inability to be treated in a community facility or due to the patients' legal status (DHS). Statute outlines various administrative requirements of DHS relating to ASH, including submittal of an annual report outlining ASH finances, collecting census data for adult civil commitment treatment programs and administering the ASH Fund.
The ASH Civil Adult Rehabilitation Program includes treatment units that specialize in providing services to adults who are civilly committed as a danger to themselves or others, gravely disabled or persistently and acutely disabled. Patients admitted to ASH under the Civil Adult Rehabilitation Program must first have completed a minimum of 25 days of treatment in a community inpatient setting prior to admission. Forensic patients at ASH are court-ordered for either pre-trial or post-trial treatment as a result of involvement with the criminal justice system due to a mental health issue. The Forensic Adult Program includes individuals who have been committed through a court-order as part of a criminal process for patients who either: 1) are being housed in one unit providing pre-trial evaluation, treatment and restoration to competency to stand trial; or 2) have been adjudicated guilty except insane and are serving a sentence under the jurisdiction of the Psychiatric Security Review Board (A.R.S. Title 36, Chapter 2, Article 1).
If there is a cost associated with removing a limit on patient admission to ASH, there may be a fiscal impact to the state General Fund.
Provisions
1. Requires the Arizona State Hospital to admit patients based on clinical need for treatment.
2. Prohibits ASH from placing any limit on admission based on a patient's county of residence.
3. Makes conforming changes.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 8, 2024
MM/KS/sdr