MI House Advances Mental Health Bills

From the Associated Press — Michigan lawmakers have approved legislation that would upgrade mental health resources in hospitals and schools as part of a slew of reform bills shuffling through the state House. One bill passed Wednesday in Lansing would create an electronic database for the state’s inpatient psychiatric bed registry. Representatives voted 106-3 for the measure which aims to streamline hospital placement and emergency room wait times for psychiatric patients. Another bill requiring all public schools in Michigan to adopt a mental health first-aid course for teachers also cleared the House by a 107-2 vote. The legislation creates an optional course on recognizing and responding to mental illness symptoms as part of training for teachers. Three bills that enact time limits on psychological evaluations for court defendants and potential prison parolees also passed.