Idaho Statutes Title 39. Health and Safety § 39-9102. Declaration of policy and intent

(1) Citizens of Idaho experiencing a behavioral health crisis are often incarcerated, hospitalized or treated in hospital emergency departments because an appropriate level of care to meet their needs is not available.

(2) Hospital emergency departments, jails and law enforcement agencies in Idaho have become the default providers of crisis intervention to Idaho citizens with behavioral health disorders. Extensive resources are being unnecessarily expended by law enforcement and hospitals on behavioral health crisis services.

(3) It is the policy of this state that citizens with behavioral health disorders should not be needlessly incarcerated when no crime has been perpetrated or the crime is of a minor nature arising from a behavioral health disorder, crisis or incident.

(4) Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature that behavioral health community crisis centers, hereinafter referred to as crisis centers, be developed and operated, as funding is appropriated, to provide the appropriate level of care to meet the needs of Idahoans experiencing behavioral health crises.

(5) The crisis centers shall be available on a voluntary basis to individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis. The centers shall provide transitional de-escalation, stabilization and community referral services only, and the centers shall not serve as inpatient or residential facilities.

(6) This chapter and any subsequent administrative rules shall not assume authority over other community efforts to assist Idahoans experiencing behavioral health crises.