Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Priority Admissions Dct Capacity topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate panel debates priority admissions, capacity for Direct Care and Treatment; counties press for state investments
Summary
Senate File 2628 would extend priority-admissions work and fund new beds in state-operated treatment programs while shielding counties from certain costs. County officials, sheriffs and prosecutors urged capacity increases and transparency; DCT officials warned the bill would require large investments and said some provisions depart from the task
Senator Ann Rasmussen introduced Senate File 2628 to implement parts of the priority-admissions task force recommendations: protect counties from billing for individuals awaiting transfer to other state-operated programs, create a public dashboard with wait-list metrics, and increase capacity at Direct Care and Treatment (DCT) and community behavioral health beds.
County Commissioner Terrell Clark, representing county associations, said the bill reflects county priorities to expand capacity and prevent county taxpayers from being charged for state delays; he said temporary relief the Legislature provided in the prior biennium saved counties roughly $10 million. Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson, speaking for county attorneys, urged a statutory deadline and more transparency so families and counsel can understand placement status.
Sheriffs and the Minnesota Sheriff's Association testified that jails continue to house people with serious mental illness for long periods because state psychiatric capacity is limited, and that timelines such as the 48-hour rule have not worked without capacity increases.
Direct Care and Treatment officials, including Executive Medical Director Kylie Ann Stevens, told the committee the bill contains provisions that diverge from the consensus review panel recommendations and warned that admitting people within a uniform 48-hour deadline without a medically appropriate bed would force unsafe admissions and regulator noncompliance. Stevens said DCT is working on dashboards and policy changes but that the bill's mandatory timelines and reimbursement requirements for jails would require substantial new funding.
Witnesses urged increased capacity: the bill would add roughly 72 forensic mental health beds at DCT (about a 20% increase), 22 beds at AMRTC and additional community behavioral health beds; proponents argued capacity is necessary before altering timelines. The committee laid SF 2628 over for further work and scheduled additional discussion.
Why it matters: Counties say ongoing delays in transferring people to state psychiatric care leave jails holding individuals who need treatment; the bill ties timelines, billing protections and capacity increases to try to reduce jail stays and improve access to treatment.
Actions at a glance: - Senate File 2628: laid over for further discussion; additional work scheduled.
