Senate Passes Bill Improving Access to Mental Health Services
February 12, 2021
Matt Huffman News
COLUMBUS—Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) announced this week the Senate's unanimous passage of Senate Bill 2, improving access to and increasing the quality of mental healthcare in Ohio by making significant reforms to Ohio's competency restoration procedure.
Senate Bill 2 would generally allow nonviolent, misdemeanor offenders to receive competency evaluations in outpatient settings, ensuring state psychiatric hospital beds remain available for Ohioans suffering from serious mental illness.
"Senate Bill 2 is an important effort to improve the quality of care and ultimately the quality of life for those struggling with mental illness in our communities and across the state of Ohio," said Huffman.
The legislation will also enact ‘PSYPACT', a multi-state cooperative agreement that seeks to address increased demand for psychological services.
The bill would authorize tele-psychology and temporarily allow in-person psychology across states that have adopted PSYPACT. The legislation would increase patient access to care and facilitate continuity of care when a patient relocates or is traveling. Additionally the PSYPACT permits psychologists to provide services to populations that are underserved or geographically isolated.
Senate Bill 2 will now be sent to the Ohio House for consideration.
Senate Bill 2 would generally allow nonviolent, misdemeanor offenders to receive competency evaluations in outpatient settings, ensuring state psychiatric hospital beds remain available for Ohioans suffering from serious mental illness.
"Senate Bill 2 is an important effort to improve the quality of care and ultimately the quality of life for those struggling with mental illness in our communities and across the state of Ohio," said Huffman.
The legislation will also enact ‘PSYPACT', a multi-state cooperative agreement that seeks to address increased demand for psychological services.
The bill would authorize tele-psychology and temporarily allow in-person psychology across states that have adopted PSYPACT. The legislation would increase patient access to care and facilitate continuity of care when a patient relocates or is traveling. Additionally the PSYPACT permits psychologists to provide services to populations that are underserved or geographically isolated.
Senate Bill 2 will now be sent to the Ohio House for consideration.