§ 27-70-101 — Legislative declaration

(1) The general assembly finds and
declares that:

(a) The lack of medication consistency for individuals with behavioral or
mental health disorders who are involved in the criminal and juvenile justice
systems creates additional, often serious, problems for these individuals;

(b) It is critical that the state increase the likelihood that a broad spectrum of
effective medications, including psychotropic medications, are available to these
individuals, regardless of setting or service provider;

(c) By working cooperatively with the criminal and juvenile justice systems
and mental health service providers, the state can help ensure medication
consistency and also decrease overall state costs through the use of a common and
agreed upon medication formulary and cooperative purchasing;

(d) Prior to its repeal in 2018, the medication consistency work group of the
behavioral health transformation council identified mental health medications that
are essential and preferred for a basic medication formulary that could be used
across all public systems to increase medication continuity for individuals with
behavioral or mental health disorders in the criminal and juvenile justice systems;
and

(e) Increasing information sharing across systems and service providers
about the importance of medication consistency and the use of a common and
agreed upon medication formulary and cooperative purchasing will result in long-term benefits for the state and for individuals with behavioral or mental health
disorders who are involved in the criminal and juvenile justice systems.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2017: Entire article added, (SB 17-019), ch. 405, p. 2113, � 1, effective August 9. L. 2018: (1)(d) amended, (SB 18-161), ch. 123, p. 831, � 5, effective September 1.