Date: 09/12/2014
Final
Discussion of Advisory Task Force Activities
TREATMENT OF PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
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10:24 AM -- Discussion of Advisory Task Force Activities
Ms. Walton provided an update to the committee on the MICJS task force's recent activities. She stated that a lot of work had been done on Bill 1 (Attachment D). Ms. Walton said the task force is working on the issue of medication consistency and that Dr. Martinez is the task force's representative on the Behavioral Health Transformation Council's work group on the issue. She assured the committee that efforts are not being duplicated by the two entities on the issue.
Ms. Walton explained the steps the task force is taking to review the issue of staff safety, including understanding what training is currently happening through the various law enforcement organizations and how that training can be improved and expanded. She discussed the importance of this issue for rural areas due to gaps in training. Ms. Walton stated that Sheriff Rebecca Spiess, who is a task force member, is organizing some presentations on the issue for the task force. Ms. Walton referenced the presentation that was made at the August 21 task force meeting by the Boulder County Sheriff's Office on staff safety issues.
Ms. Manchester responded to questions about the efforts that are being made concerning medication consistency. She stated that often times medications are changed when patients are transferred between facilities. Ms. Manchester discussed the leadership by the Behavioral Health Transformation Council on this issue and the partnering that has occurred with the task force. She referenced the survey that was sent to various correctional facilities by the Behavioral Health Transformation Council, and stated that the results of the survey are currently being compiled. Ms. Walton commented on the effect the Affordable Care Act is having on the medication consistency issue, as well as the efforts by the Regional Care Collaborative Organizations to assist certain patients.
Ms. Walton discussed the efforts of the task force to address data collection. She discussed efforts in other states to connect Medicaid data with criminal justice and juvenile justice data. She referenced a grant that was received by the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing from the Brookings Institution for a comprehensive data dashboard. Ms. Shimeall discussed medication consistency, how medications are dictated by the insurance company of the jails, and how prescriptions are filled. She discussed the need to provide bridging medication when individuals are released from jail and how those prescriptions are filled, especially in non-metro areas. She responded to questions about whether judges can order certain medications be provided. Representative Labuda discussed charging the juvenile competency work group with studying restoration.