§22. Crisis response system

A. The Legislature of Louisiana finds that appropriate crisis identification and stabilization services, including a coordinated system of entry into the crisis system, is critical to successful recovery for people in behavioral crisis. The legislature further finds that successful crisis identification and stabilization services will most successfully be developed and maintained through collaboration between the state, local communities, and stakeholders of the crisis system.

B. Each human service district, authority, local governing entity, or region of the Louisiana Department of Health shall develop a plan to do all of the following:

(1) Operate a crisis network utilizing existing resources and coordinating interjurisdictional services to develop efficient and effective crisis response services to serve all individuals in each region, district, or authority twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.

(2) Provide skilled clinical interventions to help prevent suicides, homicides, unnecessary hospitalizations, and arrests or detentions and to reduce dangerous or threatening situations involving individuals in need of behavioral health services.

(3) Respond quickly and effectively to community crisis situations.

C. Each crisis response system will be designed by a local collaborative which shall include but not be limited to:

(1) The local provider of mental health, substance-related or addictive disorders, and developmental disability services.

(2) The local office of the coroner of that region, district, or authority.

(3) The local emergency medical services system.

(4) The local law enforcement departments.

(5) A representative of the consumer community.

(6) A representative of the mental health advocacy community.

(7) A representative of the local public and private hospital emergency department.

D. Each local crisis system shall adopt standards for the collection of all relevant information related to an individual's entry into the crisis system so as to develop a knowledge base of the events leading to the crisis, including psychosocial and biological factors. Relevant information shall be obtained from the individual, first responders, other professionals, and providers who have knowledge of the crisis event or events leading to the crisis. The crisis system shall also include the development of an intervention plan which considers the immediate needs of the individual. The community crisis response may include but shall not be limited to:

(1) Crisis support and counseling.

(2) Medical intervention.

(3) Environmental interventions and crisis stabilization.

(4) Review, follow-up, and referral.

(5) Monitoring and evaluation.

(6) Liaison, advocacy, consultation, and collaboration.

E.(1) The Louisiana Department of Health, in consultation with local planning collaboratives, shall develop a plan for establishment and implementation, subject to appropriation, of regional crisis receiving centers in each region, district, and authority of the state which shall receive, examine, triage, refer, or treat people in behavioral health crisis. The crisis receiving centers shall be a component of each crisis response system, and the department shall consult with the local collaboratives in developing standards for licensure.

(2) The number of crisis receiving centers in each region shall be determined by the department based upon factors such as population, population density, and capacity of each facility. Crisis receiving centers may be located in hospitals, mental health facilities, or other health care facilities, or may be freestanding.

(3) Crisis receiving centers shall be licensed by the department as provided by Part VI-F of Chapter 11 of Title 40 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950. The department is authorized to promulgate rules and regulations necessary to establish such centers.

(4) In parishes served by human service districts or authorities, the department shall contract with the district or authority for placement and operation of crisis receiving centers. The district or authority may operate the centers, or contract with community organizations for the operation of the centers and services within the centers.

(5) Crisis receiving centers shall be accessible to any person regardless of their residence or whether the authority presenting the person is located outside the region where the receiving center is located.

Acts 2008, No. 447, §1, eff. June 25, 2008; Acts 2017, No. 369, §2.