H*4899(Rat #0426, Act #0408 of 2008)  Joint Resolution, By Edge, Ott, Crawford, 
Whipper, Huggins, Alexander, Anthony, Bales, Barfield, Battle, Bedingfield, 
Brady, Branham, Cato, Clemmons, Clyburn, Cobb-Hunter, Coleman, Cooper, Cotty, 
Davenport, Duncan, Erickson, Funderburk, Gambrell, Govan, Gullick, Hardwick, 
Hayes, Hosey, Jennings, Leach, Limehouse, Mack, Mahaffey, McLeod, Moss, 
Mulvaney, J.H. Neal, Parks, Perry, Pinson, M.A. Pitts, Rice, Sandifer, Scott, 
Sellers, Shoopman, Simrill, G.M. Smith, G.R. Smith, W.D. Smith, Stavrinakis, 
Talley, Taylor, Thompson, Viers, White, Witherspoon and Mitchell
 A JOINT RESOLUTION TO CREATE A COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE DELIVERY OF BEHAVIORAL
 HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TO REPORT ITS FINDINGS AND
 RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY FEBRUARY 15, 2010. - ratified title

   03/27/08  House  Introduced, read first time, placed on calendar
                     without reference HJ-5
   04/02/08  House  Member(s) request name added as sponsor: Mitchell
   04/02/08  House  Read second time HJ-33
   04/03/08  House  Read third time and sent to Senate HJ-24
   04/03/08  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-1
   04/03/08  Senate Referred to Committee on Medical Affairs SJ-1
   05/14/08  Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment
                     Medical Affairs SJ-13
   05/15/08  Senate Committee Amendment Adopted SJ-19
   05/15/08  Senate Read second time SJ-19
   05/16/08         Scrivener's error corrected
   05/27/08  Senate Read third time and returned to House with
                     amendments SJ-10
   06/03/08  House  Debate adjourned on Senate amendments until
                     Wednesday, June 4, 2008 HJ-155
   06/04/08  House  Senate amendment amended HJ-92
   06/04/08  House  Returned to Senate with amendments HJ-92
   06/04/08  Senate Non-concurrence in House amendment SJ-310
   06/05/08  House  House insists upon amendment and conference
                     committee appointed Reps. Edge, Crawford, and
                     Ott HJ-80
   06/05/08  House   Reconsider the vote whereby the House insists
                     upon its amendment HJ-205
   06/05/08  House  House recedes from amendment(s) HJ-205
   06/05/08  Senate Ordered enrolled for ratification SJ-36
   06/10/08         Ratified R 426
   06/16/08         Signed By Governor
   06/20/08         Copies available
   06/20/08         Effective date 06/16/08
   08/06/08         Act No. 408

(A408, R426, H4899)

A JOINT RESOLUTION TO CREATE A COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE DELIVERY OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TO REPORT ITS FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY FEBRUARY 15, 2010.

Whereas, the behavioral health care system in South Carolina is in crisis; and

Whereas, already overcrowded hospital emergency rooms have become the "safety net" or "provider of last resort"; and

Whereas, most hospital emergency departments are not equipped to provide psychiatric services, especially in rural areas of the State; and

Whereas, the number of inpatient psychiatric beds in state mental health facilities has been drastically reduced, so behavioral health patients wait in emergency departments until a psychiatric bed somewhere in the State becomes available; and

Whereas, behavioral health patients held in the emergency departments stretch the resources of the hospital, reduce access to care for patients with medical emergencies, and create a dangerous environment for other patients and hospital workers if they become unruly and violent; and

Whereas, the delivery of services that are available to behavioral health patients is fractured and disjointed; and

Whereas, many behavioral health patients in South Carolina have no place to go for the level of care they need, and it is nearly impossible for many people to find the emergency psychiatric treatment they or their loved ones need. Now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Study committee created

SECTION    1.    (A)    A study committee is established to examine the delivery of behavioral health care services in South Carolina.

(B)    The study committee is composed of ten members of the General Assembly, of whom five must be members of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and five must be members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(C)    The members of the study committee first shall meet upon the call of the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. At its first meeting, the committee shall select a chairman and such other officers as it considers necessary. Members of the committee shall receive mileage, subsistence, and per diem allowed by law to members of the General Assembly when attending meetings on legislative business to be paid from the approved accounts of their respective house.

(D)    Staff from the Senate and the House of Representatives shall assist the study committee. The study committee may utilize the expertise of staff from state agencies to assist in the examination of the delivery of behavioral health care services in South Carolina.

(E)    The committee shall make a report to the General Assembly together with its findings and recommendations no later than February 15, 2010, at which time it is dissolved.

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This joint resolution takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 10th day of June, 2008.

Approved the 16th day of June, 2008.