WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 1104

Improve Involuntary Commitment Process and Enhance Public Safety.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Hugh Blackwell and 24 co-sponsors

HB 1104 directs a multi-agency study to identify gaps in involuntary commitment systems and recommend data-driven improvements to safety, treatment, and outcomes.

Ch. SL 2026-38
#aoc;courts;dhhs;healthservices;informationtechnology;institutionalizedpersons;judicialdept.;mentalhealth;public;reports;studies;unc;schoolofgovernment;informationtechnologydept.
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 1104

Summary of HB 1104 (Session 2025, North Carolina)

Short Title

IVC and Public Safety Committee.

Purpose and Intent

HB 1104 directs key state agencies to study the involuntary commitment (IVC) process in North Carolina and to develop systemic improvements. The goal is to identify gaps, improve timeliness and quality of data, and support data-driven decision-making to enhance safety, treatment, and outcomes for individuals subject to involuntary commitment. The study is framed as a follow-on recommendation from the House Select Committee on Involuntary Commitment and Public Safety.

What the bill Would Do (Key Provisions)

  1. Mandated Study and Collaboration

    • Agencies must study relevant statutes, judicial and clinical practices, and available technology resources related to the IVC process.
    • The study will identify gaps in the current IVC system and provide specific recommendations to address or eliminate those gaps.
    • The reporting entities:
      • Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
      • Department of Information Technology (DIT)
      • Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)

  2. Reporting Requirement and Timeline

    • A report detailing the study results must be submitted to the Joint Legislative Committee on Health and Human Services no later than February 1, 2027.

  3. Minimum Contents of the Report
    The report must, at a minimum, include:

    • (1) A comprehensive evaluation of the legal and operational frameworks governing IVC to provide formal recommendations for systemic improvement, with emphasis on:
      • (i) Ensuring judicial officers receive timely clinical data from examiners to support legally sound decisions about safety and treatment needs.
      • (ii) Establishing a foundation for improved legal and clinical outcomes.
    • (a) Training parameters for judges and magistrates on community-based services (e.g., Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC), Community Treatment teams, Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) teams) to bolster treatment compliance and reduce recidivism.
    • (b) Collaboration with the University of North Carolina School of Government to develop clinical workflows, transport guidance, and bench cards to ensure successful referrals across agencies.
    • (c) Updates to electronic examination forms, affidavits, and petitions to capture consistent and high-quality data statewide.
    • (d) Strategies to increase data sharing between DHHS and the E-Courts system regarding IVC exams and court proceedings, including feasibility of a public-facing dashboard.
    • (2) Any additional information deemed relevant by DHHS, DIT, and AOC to support high-quality data collection and data-driven decision-making across the IVC system.

  4. Effective Date

    • The act becomes law on the date of enactment (i.e., it takes effect when it becomes law).

Who Would Be Affected

  • State agencies involved in IVC processes:
    • North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
    • North Carolina Department of Information Technology (DIT)
    • Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC)
  • Judicial officers (courts, judges, magistrates) who make determinations on involuntary commitment.
  • Potentially affected professionals and programs connected to community-based services (e.g., TASC, Community Treatment teams, FACT teams) through training and workflow improvements.
  • Examining clinicians and clinical exam workflows whose data will be standardized and shared.
  • The broader public, via potential public-facing dashboards and improved transparency of the IVC process.

Procedural and Timeline Highlights

  • Study mandated by the bill with a final report due by February 1, 2027.
  • Report to be delivered to the Joint Legislative Committee on Health and Human Services.
  • The bill focuses on systemic improvements, data quality, interagency data-sharing, and enhanced training, rather than establishing new IVC procedures or expanding or restricting commitments at this time.

Potential Impact (High-Level)

  • Improvement in the timeliness and quality of clinical data available to judges when making IVC decisions.
  • Enhanced interagency coordination among DHHS, DIT, and AOC to streamline the IVC process.
  • Better data collection practices and standardized forms, potentially enabling data-driven policy decisions.
  • Increased transparency and public accessibility through a possible dashboard on IVC-related data.
  • Strengthened treatment pathways and reduced recidivism through improved training on community-based services.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.