This is the preview version of the Wisconsin State Legislature site.
Please see http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov for the production version.
February 11, 2021 - Introduced by Senators Bernier, Felzkowski, Ballweg,
Darling, Roth, Stafsholt, Stroebel and Wanggaard, cosponsored by
Representatives James, Summerfield, Armstrong, Dittrich, Edming, Jagler,
Knodl, Magnafici, Milroy, Moses, Murphy, Mursau, Oldenburg, Petryk,
Pronschinske, Rozar, Schraa, Skowronski, Tauchen, Tittl, Tranel,
VanderMeer and Zimmerman. Referred to Committee on Health.
SB86,1,1 1An Act relating to: grant to a hospital for expanding psychiatric bed capacity.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill allows the Building Commission to award a grant to a hospital in Eau
Claire County, as specified in the bill, in the amount of $15,000,000 for the purpose
of expanding capacity by 22 psychiatric beds between the hospital in Eau Claire
County and a hospital in Chippewa County. Under 2019 Wisconsin Act 9, which was
that session's biennial budget act, the Building Commission was authorized to award
moneys for a center and allowed to authorize up to $15,000,000 in general fund
supported borrowing for that purpose. Instead, this bill allows the Building
Commission to award a grant in that amount and to authorize general fund
supported borrowing, if necessary. If the grant awarded under this bill is not used
for the purpose of expanding psychiatric bed capacity, the state retains an ownership
interest in the hospital's expansion equal to the amount of the state's grant.
Emergency detention is a current law procedure for temporary involuntary
commitment of individuals who are believed to be mentally ill, drug dependent, or
developmentally disabled and who demonstrate a substantial probability of causing
harm to themselves or others or an inability to satisfy certain basic needs due to a
mental illness. The hospital that is awarded the grant under the bill must do all of
the following: 1) give preference in admissions for the beds added under the bill to
individuals who meet the criteria for emergency detention and who are from one of
the counties specified in the bill; 2) identify measures it believes will serve the needs
of residents with mental health needs, especially in reducing the burden on the
Winnebago Mental Health Institute; 3) report annually to the legislature on the
services provided with grant moneys; and 4) recognize that it is liable to repay the

grant to the state if the hospital fails to maintain continued expanded services and
expanded numbers of psychiatric beds. The bill specifies that the determination of
whether the hospital is meeting its requirement to provide expanded services must
be based on findings that at least half of the expanded psychiatric beds are available
for individuals admitted for emergency detention and that the hospital enters
agreements containing terms specified in the bill with at least two-thirds of the
specified counties.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB86,1 1Section 1 . Nonstatutory provisions.
SB86,2,22 (1) Grant for psychiatric beds.
SB86,2,93 (a) The legislature finds and determines that expanding psychiatric bed
4capacity as described in par. (b ) would greatly benefit state residents by expanding
5access to timely inpatient mental health treatment and services and allowing public
6financial resources to be better distributed to more effectively improve delivery of
7mental health services. It is therefore in the public interest, and it is the public policy
8of this state, to assist the hospital described under par. (b) in expanding psychiatric
9bed capacity.
SB86,2,1410 (b) In fiscal year 2021-22, the building commission may award under s. 13.48
11(20s) a grant in the amount of $15,000,000 and, if the grant is awarded and if
12necessary, may authorize general fund supported borrowing as described under s.
1313.48 (20s) (b) for the purpose of expanding capacity for psychiatric beds to a hospital
14that applies to the building commission and meets all of the following criteria:
SB86,2,17 151. The hospital is located in Eau Claire County, south of the Chippewa River,
16and northeast of the intersection of STH 37 and USH 12 and is part of a health system
17that has a hospital in Chippewa County.
SB86,3,8
12. The hospital agrees to expand psychiatric bed capacity by 22 beds between
2the Eau Claire County hospital and the Chippewa County hospital. The hospitals
3shall give preference in admissions to fill beds added under this subdivision to
4individuals who meet the criteria for emergency detention under s. 51.15 and who
5are from Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Buffalo, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas,
6Dunn, Eau Claire, Iron, Jackson, La Crosse, Lincoln, Marathon, Monroe, Oneida,
7Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vilas,
8Washburn, or Wood Counties.
SB86,3,11 93. The hospital identifies measures that it believes will serve the needs of area
10residents with mental health needs, especially, as a critical component of the
11measures, in reducing the burden on the Winnebago Mental Health Institute.
SB86,3,15 124. The hospital agrees to annually report to the legislature, in the manner
13described under s. 13.172 (2), the services provided with the resources funded by the
14grant awarded under this subsection, including the number of individuals diverted
15from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute.
SB86,3,20 165. The hospital recognizes that it is liable to repay the grant funds to the state
17if the hospital fails to continue to maintain the expanded services and number of
18expanded psychiatric beds available. The amount the hospital is liable for
19repayment is reduced proportionately each year for 10 years of continuing expanded
20services as described under par. (c ).
SB86,3,2221 (c) A determination of continued services shall be based on findings that the
22hospital does all of the following:
SB86,4,2 231. Maintains an agreed upon number of beds for acceptance of admissions for
24emergency detention under s. 51.15. A hospital is considered to be in compliance
25with this subdivision if at least half of the expanded psychiatric beds under par. (b)

12. are available for individuals who are initially admitted under an emergency
2detention under s. 51.15.
SB86,4,4 32. Enters into a contract with, at minimum, two-thirds of the counties specified
4in par. (b) 2. in which the hospital agrees to do all of the following:
SB86,4,6 5a. Be the primary receiver for individuals under an emergency detention under
6s. 51.15 for the county.
SB86,4,8 7b. Accept for admission under an emergency detention individuals regardless
8of payment source.
SB86,4,11 9c. Accept any individual subject to an emergency detention from the county
10unless all psychiatric beds added under par. (b ) 2. are filled. The hospital may set
11its payment rate based on the acuity of the individual being detained.
SB86,4,13 12d. Ensure the county department is the secondary payer after any other
13coverage the individual has is exhausted.
SB86,4,1514 (d) Notwithstanding s. 150.93, any hospital that expands psychiatric bed
15capacity under this subsection may increase its approved bed capacity.
SB86,4,1816 (e) If, for any reason, the grant awarded under par. (b) is not used for the
17purpose of expanding psychiatric bed capacity, the state shall retain an ownership
18interest in the hospital's expansion equal to the amount of the state's grant.
SB86,4,1919 (End)
Loading...
Loading...