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A series of mental health reforms became law Thursday, and state lawmakers touted the measures as a potential solution to the state’s rampant homelessness problem. Gov. Josh Green signed 22 bills Thursday, all of which were related to health or health care, and many of which he said should help homeless individuals struggling with mental health or substance abuse problems receive the care they need.

In particular, Green highlighted a quartet of measures that will expand mental health services within the state Department of Health. “Health care has evolved,” Green said. “Health care is not simply about a doctor .



.. admitting someone to the hospital.

Health care is about the wellness of society, the well-being of people often on the streets — how do they get the care they need? How do we actually find a way, in a civilized fashion, to care for those who don’t have any chance to find their way back to a healthy state?” To this end, Senate Bill 3139 establishes a new crisis intervention program within DOH that will steer people suffering from mental health or substance abuse issues toward appropriate care services instead of the criminal justice system. “Many times, law enforcement is not the right way to help people,” Green said. The bill clarifies when a law enforcement officer can apprehend a person amid a mental health emergency — i.

e. if the officer believes the situation will cause serious harm to the person or others within two minutes — and when to r.

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