H-4810              _______________________________________________

                                          SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL NO. 1804

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1988 Regular Session

By House Committee on Human Services (originally sponsored by Representatives Brekke, Moyer, Sayan, Dellwo, Lewis, Winsley and Anderson)

Read first time 2/5/88.

AN ACT Relating to community mental health services; and creating a new section.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     During 1988, the human services committee and the ways and means committee of the house of representatives shall undertake an interim study of the community mental health program, including a review of the definitions used to categorize the different populations of the mentally ill.

          The study shall consider how the different populations are currently served and what changes or additions may be necessary to enhance these services.  The study shall review whether such groups as the elderly, children and youth, young adults, minorities, persons who have used neuroleptic drugs for a period exceeding one month, and the general adult population are adequately served under the current definitions of mental illness and whether the definitions need to be revised.  Existing innovative approaches to serving the mentally ill shall be reviewed for their applicability to the larger state population.