Minnesota Statutes Public Welfare and Related Activities (Ch. 245-267) § 245.469. Emergency services

(1) promote the safety and emotional stability of adults with mental illness or emotional crises;

(2) minimize further deterioration of adults with mental illness or emotional crises;

(3) help adults with mental illness or emotional crises to obtain ongoing care and treatment; and

(4) prevent placement in settings that are more intensive, costly, or restrictive than necessary and appropriate to meet client needs.

Subdivision 1. Availability of emergency services. (a) County boards must provide or contract for enough emergency services within the county to meet the needs of adults, children, and families in the county who are experiencing an emotional crisis or mental illness. Emergency service providers must not delay the timely provision of emergency services to a client because of the unwillingness or inability of the client to pay for services. Emergency services must include assessment, crisis intervention, and appropriate case disposition. Emergency services must:

(b) If a county provides engagement services under section 253B.041, the county's emergency service providers must refer clients to engagement services when the client meets the criteria for engagement services.

Subd. 2. Specific requirements. (a) The county board shall require that all service providers of emergency services to adults with mental illness provide immediate direct access to a mental health professional during regular business hours. For evenings, weekends, and holidays, the service may be by direct toll-free telephone access to a mental health professional, a mental health practitioner, or until January 1, 1991, a designated person with training in human services who receives clinical supervision from a mental health professional.

(b) The commissioner may waive the requirement in paragraph (a) that the evening, weekend, and holiday service be provided by a mental health professional or mental health practitioner after January 1, 1991, if the county documents that:

(c) The commissioner may waive the requirement in paragraph (b), clause (3), that the evening, weekend, and holiday service not be provided by the provider of fire and public safety emergency services if:

(d) Whenever emergency service during nonbusiness hours is provided by anyone other than a mental health professional, a mental health professional must be available on call for an emergency assessment and crisis intervention services, and must be available for at least telephone consultation within 30 minutes.

Subd. 2. Specific requirements. (a) The county board shall require that all service providers of emergency services to adults with mental illness provide immediate direct access to a mental health professional during regular business hours. For evenings, weekends, and holidays, the service may be by direct toll-free telephone access to a mental health professional, clinical trainee, or mental health practitioner.

(b) The commissioner may waive the requirement in paragraph (a) that the evening, weekend, and holiday service be provided by a mental health professional, clinical trainee, or mental health practitioner if the county documents that:

(c) The commissioner may waive the requirement in paragraph (b), clause (3), that the evening, weekend, and holiday service not be provided by the provider of fire and public safety emergency services if:

(d) Whenever emergency service during nonbusiness hours is provided by anyone other than a mental health professional, a mental health professional must be available on call for an emergency assessment and crisis intervention services, and must be available for at least telephone consultation within 30 minutes.

(1) develop a central phone number where calls can be routed to the appropriate crisis services;

(2) provide telephone consultation 24 hours a day to mobile crisis teams who are serving people with traumatic brain injury or intellectual disabilities who are experiencing a mental health crisis;

(3) expand crisis services across the state, including rural areas of the state and examining access per population;

(4) establish and implement state standards for crisis services; and

(5) provide grants to adult mental health initiatives, counties, tribes, or community mental health providers to establish new mental health crisis residential service capacity.

Priority will be given to regions that do not have a mental health crisis residential services program, do not have an inpatient psychiatric unit within the region, do not have an inpatient psychiatric unit within 90 miles, or have a demonstrated need based on the number of crisis residential or intensive residential treatment beds available to meet the needs of the residents in the region. At least 50 percent of the funds must be distributed to programs in rural Minnesota. Grant funds may be used for start-up costs, including but not limited to renovations, furnishings, and staff training. Grant applications shall provide details on how the intended service will address identified needs and shall demonstrate collaboration with crisis teams, other mental health providers, hospitals, and police.