SS#2 HB 648 -- INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

This bill changes the laws regarding individuals with
disabilities.

INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED

Certain references of "mentally retarded," "mental retardation,"
or "handicapped" in state law are changed to "intellectually
disabled" or "developmentally disabled," "intellectual
disability" or "developmental disability," or "disabled"
respectively including renaming the Missouri Advisory Council on
Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities as the Missouri
Developmental Disabilities Council and the Division of Mental
Retardation and Developmental Disabilities within the Department
of Mental Health as the Division of Developmental Disabilities.

MO HEALTHNET OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

The membership of the MO HealthNet Oversight Committee is
increased from 18 to 19 by adding an additional non-physician
health care professional.  One non-physician health care
professional must be a licensed nurse, and the other must be a
licensed psychologist.  The members of the committee representing
physicians and dentists must be appointed by the Governor with
the advice and consent of the Senate in the same manner that
members are selected for the State Board of Registration for the
Healing Arts within the Department of Insurance, Financial
Institutions and Professional Registration.  The consumer
representative, patient advocates, and the public member cannot
have a financial interest in the health care industry or have
been a state employee within the last five years.

RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

The disability or disease of an individual cannot be the basis
for a determination to refuse to issue, suspend, or revoke a
foster care license; to remove a child from a parent's custody or
that a child is in need of care; to terminate parental rights; or
to rule that an individual is unfit or not suitable to be an
adoptive parent or a foster parent without a specific showing
that there is a causal relationship between the disability or
disease and a substantial and significant risk of harm to the
child.

MENTAL HEALTH EARNINGS FUND

The bill allows the Mental Health Earnings Fund to be used for
the deposit of revenue received from the proceeds of any sales
and services from Mental Health First Aid USA.  Subject to
appropriation, the proceeds must be used to fund Mental Health
First Aid USA activities and must be accounted for separately
from all other revenues deposited into the fund.  The Department
of Mental Health is not required to pay the fund for proceeds
received from these sales and services.

DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH INVESTIGATION REPORTS

A statutory reference is revised to specify that an investigative
report of the Department of Mental Health will be automatically
admissible in any hearing before the Administrative Hearing
Commission.

Missouri House of Representatives
96th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated August 9, 2011 at 1:23 pm