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PS 1322

“Para enmendar la sección 10 de la Ley Núm. 67 de 7 de agosto de 1993, según enmendada, con el propósito de permitir que un equipo de especialistas de salud mental adscritos a la Administración de Servicios de Salud Mental y Contra la Adicción puedan atender ordenes de ingreso involuntario a hospitalización según lo dispuesto en la Ley Núm. 408 de 2000; para enmendar el Artículo 4.12 de la Ley Núm. 408-2000, denominada “Ley de Salud Mental de Puerto Rico”, con el propósito de brindarle la capacidad al tribunal de asignar equipos de especialistas de comportamiento humano para llevar a cabo ordenes de ingreso involuntario a hospitalización; y para decretar otras disposiciones complementarias.”

2025-2028 Session

PS 1322 authorizes ASSMCA mental health teams to execute involuntary hospitalization orders under Law 408-2000, creating a crisis intervention project and an administrator to overs

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Bill Summary · PS 1322

Overview

  • Jurisdiction: Puerto Rico
  • Bill: PS 1322
  • Session: 2025-2028
  • Purpose: Enact measures to allow a specialized team of mental health professionals, affiliated with the Administración de Servicios de Salud Mental y Contra la Adicción (ASSMCA), to attend to involuntary hospitalization orders under the framework of Law 408-2000 (Ley de Salud Mental de Puerto Rico). The bill also authorizes the court to assign human behavior specialists to execute involuntary hospitalization orders and makes related organizational and procedural amendments.

What the bill aims to do

  • Amend the language of Section 10 of Law 67-1993 to permit that involuntary hospitalization orders can be carried out by a team of ASSMCA mental health specialists, in accordance with the procedures set forth in Law 408-2000.
  • Amend Article 4.12 of Law 408-2000 to authorize the court to assign a Human Behavior Specialist team to carry out involuntary hospitalization orders.
  • Create authorization and framework for an integrated crisis intervention project within ASSMCA to handle in-person crisis interventions and to process involuntary hospitalization orders.

Key provisions

  • Section 10 (amendment to Law 67-1993):
    • When the court determines that involuntary hospitalization is appropriate, the process will proceed under Law 408-2000.
    • The court may request ASSMCA to fulfill the involuntary hospitalization order.
  • Section 8 (new Inciso r) in Law 67-1993:
    • Adds responsibility for an Administrator (appointed by the Secretary) who must have expertise in behavioral sciences and administration.
    • Creates duties for the Administrator, including establishing and overseeing an integrated crisis intervention project within ASSMCA.
    • The new project has the capacity to process involuntary hospitalization orders under Law 408-2000.
  • Section 4.12 (amendment to Law 408-2000):
    • Defines the criteria for involuntary hospitalization: an adult who meets necessary mental health service criteria but lacks capacity or refuses services will be evaluated to determine if involuntary hospitalization is necessary.
    • The tribunal will order an evaluation by a psychiatrist in consultation with an interdisciplinary team.
    • The tribunal may require ASSMCA to execute the involuntary hospitalization order, and may involve other government agencies as needed.
    • Reiterates that clear and convincing evidence of an immediate risk to self, others, or property is required for involuntary admission.
  • General provisions:
    • Supremacy clause: The new law's provisions prevail over conflicting laws, regulations, or norms.
    • Severability clause: If any provision is unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder remains in effect.
    • Effective date: The law would take effect immediately upon approval.

Who would be affected

  • Adults who are evaluated for mental health treatment and potential involuntary hospitalization.
  • The court system (Judiciary) handling involuntary treatment orders.
  • The Administration of Services for Mental Health and Addiction (ASSMCA), which would deploy specialized teams to execute involuntary hospitalization orders and provide crisis intervention services.
  • Mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, interdisciplinary teams, and human behavior specialists.
  • Government agencies that may be called upon to assist in implementing involuntary hospitalization orders.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • The bill establishes that involuntary hospitalization orders will be processed under Law 408-2000.
  • It authorizes the court to request that ASSMCA fulfill the involuntary hospitalization order.
  • It creates an Administrator position within ASSMCA with a defined mandate to oversee crisis intervention and to establish the integrated crisis intervention project.
  • The integrated crisis intervention project is designed to operate in-person crisis responses and to be capable of processing hospitalization orders.
  • Upon enactment, the law would take effect immediately.

Explanatory notes

  • The Exposición de Motivos emphasizes protecting human dignity and ensuring rights for individuals with mental health crises, advocating for specialized, non-police responses to crises, and citing international and local examples of crisis-response teams as models.
  • The bill cites concerns about the use of police in crisis situations and argues that trained mental health professionals can reduce force and improve outcomes, aligning with the operational intent of deploying human behavior specialists to handle involuntary admissions.

Summary assessment

  • PS 1322 seeks to modernize the process for involuntary hospitalization by leveraging specialized mental health teams within ASSMCA, reducing reliance on police for crisis interventions, and formalizing a dedicated crisis intervention project with authority to execute hospitalization orders under Law 408-2000. It adds an administrator with explicit qualifications and creates procedural pathways to ensure rights protections and medical judgment are central to involuntary care decisions. If enacted, careful implementation and safeguarding of patient rights will be essential, given the serious nature of involuntary hospitalization decisions.

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

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