INDIANA — A bill that would revamp how Indiana approaches mental health and the resources it provides to Hoosiers passed the House Monday. The Senate passed Senate Bill 1 earlier.
“Senate Bill 1 is committed to creating a behavioral health system that is for today’s world someone to call, someone to respond, and someplace to go,” said Rep. Ann Vermillion (R-District 31) one of the bill’s 60 or more co-sponsors in the House.
The bill proposes setting up a crisis hotline for people to call if someone is having a mental health issue. It also provides for a team of mental health providers to respond to a situation where a person is in crisis and sets up crisis stabilization units for follow-up care.
If the bill becomes law, families would be able to call a 988 hotline to get help from mental health professionals, instead of calling 911 for the police.
Lawmakers must figure out how they will fund some of the proposals in the bill. Lawmakers have suggested funding through raising the tax on cigarettes and other suggested adding a fee to your cell phone bill.
