PRINTER'S NO. 2401
No. 357 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY BROWNE, BARD, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BENNINGHOFF, BUNT, BUXTON, CAPPELLI, CAWLEY, CIVERA, CLYMER, CORRIGAN, CREIGHTON, CURRY, DeLUCA, DeWEESE, J. EVANS, FICHTER, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GINGRICH, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HENNESSEY, HERMAN, JAMES, KELLER, LEACH, MAJOR, MANN, MARKOSEK, MELIO, NAILOR, PETRARCA, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, READSHAW, REICHLEY, RUBLEY, SCRIMENTI, SEMMEL, E. Z. TAYLOR, THOMAS, TIGUE, VANCE, WALKO, WASHINGTON, WATSON, WHEATLEY, WILT, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD AND YUDICHAK, JULY 10, 2003
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, JULY 10, 2003
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1 Directing the Joint State Government Commission to establish a 2 task force to study the availability and accessibility of 3 intensive and appropriate community services and supports for 4 persons with serious mental illness, addictive disorders and 5 co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders; to 6 determine the individual and community consequences of 7 leaving untreated and undertreating such illnesses and 8 disorders and the relationship to incarceration and 9 homelessness; to determine the gaps in private insurance 10 coverage and public funding of services for individuals 11 suffering from such illnesses and disorders; and to make 12 recommendations on addressing these gaps and meeting 13 individual needs while respecting individual rights and 14 dignity. 15 WHEREAS, Many incidents of crime in the community are 16 attributed to persons with untreated serious mental illnesses 17 and addictive disease; and 18 WHEREAS, Approximately 3% of the 35,000 people incarcerated 19 in Pennsylvania's State Correctional Institutions suffer from 20 serious mental illness, 15% suffer from co-occurring mental
1 illness and substance abuse disorders and 90% of those people 2 incarcerated have addictive disorders; and 3 WHEREAS, Five percent of persons who have serious mental 4 illness are homeless and a high percentage of the single adult 5 homeless population suffers from addictive disorders or co- 6 occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders; and 7 WHEREAS, Support of family and friends, quality of treatment, 8 financial resources and State support are necessary for 9 Pennsylvania's citizens with serious mental illnesses, addictive 10 disorders and co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse 11 disorders; and 12 WHEREAS, The availability, accessibility and quality of 13 community services are often variable and difficult for persons 14 with serious mental illness, addictive disorders or co-occurring 15 disorders to obtain and maintain; and 16 WHEREAS, Individuals with untreated or undertreated serious 17 mental illness, addictive disorders or co-occurring mental 18 illness and substance abuse disorders seek help but often may 19 not receive adequate treatment due to lack of private insurance 20 coverage, limited coverage or limited public funding for 21 services; and 22 WHEREAS, Individuals with untreated or undertreated serious 23 mental illness, addictive disorders or co-occurring mental 24 illness and substance abuse disorders are likely to become 25 homeless or become subject to the custody of the criminal 26 justice system without getting well; and 27 WHEREAS, In April 2002, the President of the United States 28 established the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health to 29 address the problems facing individuals with mental illness and 30 their families; and 20030H0357R2401 - 2 -
1 WHEREAS, The commission released a preliminary report on 2 January 7, 2003, which has painted an unfavorable picture of 3 mental health services in our nation; and 4 WHEREAS, The commission identified major barriers to care in 5 the system: fragmentation and gaps in care for children and 6 adults, high unemployment and disability for individuals with 7 serious mental illness, senior citizens not receiving mental 8 health services and mental health and suicide prevention not 9 recognized as national priorities; therefore be it 10 RESOLVED (The Senate concurring), That the General Assembly 11 direct the Joint State Government Commission to establish a task 12 force of four members of the Senate and four members of the 13 House of Representatives to undertake a study of the delivery 14 system of behavioral health services in this Commonwealth to 15 ascertain whether it is meeting the needs of individuals with 16 serious mental illness, addictive disease or co-occurring mental 17 illness and substance abuse disorders and their families and if 18 it is not meeting those needs to recommend appropriate 19 corrective measures such as addressing housing needs and 20 providing psychosocial rehabilitation services and continuous 21 treatment teams; and be it further 22 RESOLVED, That the President pro tempore of the Senate, the 23 Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of 24 Representatives and the Minority Leader of the House of 25 Representatives each appoint two members to the task force; and 26 be it further 27 RESOLVED, That the task force be authorized to create an 28 advisory committee to assist the task force, to include 29 representatives from the Department of Public Welfare through 30 its Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Programs, the 20030H0357R2401 - 3 -
1 Department of Health through its Bureau of Drug and Alcohol 2 Programs, the Department of Corrections and individuals 3 representing community mental health providers and consumers. 4 The advisory committee shall include individuals developing a 5 white paper for the Department of Public Welfare addressing co- 6 occurring addictions; and be it further 7 RESOLVED, That the initial area of task force review be the 8 availability and accessibility of intensive and appropriate 9 community services and supports for persons with severe mental 10 illness, addictive disorders and co-occurring mental illness and 11 substance abuse disorders and their families; and be it further 12 RESOLVED, That the task force study the individual, the 13 family and the community consequences of untreated and 14 undertreated serious mental illness, addictive disorders and co- 15 occurring mental illness and substance abuse disorders and the 16 relationship to homelessness and incarceration on individuals, 17 their families and the community; and be it further 18 RESOLVED, That the task force report its findings and 19 recommendations to the General Assembly as soon as possible. C10L82SFL/20030H0357R2401 - 4 -