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Green, Walsh Applaud Passage of Mental Health Assurance Bill
Sen. Timothy Green, D-Spanish Lake and Rep. Gina Walsh, D-Bellefontaine Neighbors have commended their colleagues for passage of SB 1081, introduced by Senator Green.
Missouri lawmakers gave final approval to House/Senate bill which increases the quality assurance and safety in the Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities Community Programs.
SB 1081 amends the Family Care Safety Registry to include protections for the developmentally disabled and requires the registry to contain information on mental health workers. This act also adds direct care staff from the Division of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD) community programs to the list of health care and mental health providers who are required to report suspected cases abuse of a patient, resident, or client of a mental health facility. The department must now promulgate rules for reporting and investigating complaints of abuse and neglect.
“Finally, private group homes and mental retardation facilities shall be subject to all applicable federal and state laws, regulations and monitoring.” said Rep. Walsh.
“All community providers will now be subject to the same training requirements established for state mental health workers with comparable positions in public group homes and mental health facilities.” said Sen. Green.
In addition, any employee, including supervisory personnel, of a group home or mental retardation facility who has been placed on the department’s disqualification registry due to a substantiated finding of abuse or neglect will be terminated. The facilities or homes are also required to report staff turnover to the Department of Mental Health and the General Assembly. The Department of Mental Health shall not transfer any person to any group home or mental retardation facility that has received a notice of noncompliance, until there is an approved plan of correction.
The bill adds people who have been convicted of or pled guilty to vulnerable person abuse to the list of people who are disqualified from holding any position in any public or private mental health facility or program. In addition, this act adds people who have been convicted of or pled guilty to any offense requiring them to register as a sex offender to the list of people who are disqualified from holding any direct-care position in any public or private mental health facility or program.
“I call upon Governor Blunt to immediately sign this important piece of legislation that protects Missouri’s most vulnerable citizens.” said Sen. Green.
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