H.B. 572: Behavioral Health, Mental Health, and Social Services Amendments

About this bill

Signed by the governor on March 25, 2026. This bill addresses social services interventions, including for behavioral health, mental health, and homelessness.

• Changes the entity that administers and reports on the Governor's Suicide Prevention Fund from the governor to the Office of Substance Use and Mental Health (office)
• Requires the Office of Licensing within the Department of Health and Human Services (department) to make rules related to a behavioral health receiving center's communication with prosecutors and law enforcement regarding a justice involved individual's participation in the behavioral health receiving center's treatment program
• Requires the department to provide a list of mental health and substance use disorder screening tools used in jails
• Requires the department to create a standard form for justice involved individuals to consent to disclosure of a mental health disorder or substance use disorder to certain persons, including health care providers, first responders, courts, local health authorities, county pretrial and parole services, and the Division of Adult Probation and Parole
• Permits first responders to provide an electronic list of local mental health services to certain individuals under certain circumstances
• Creates a community-based peer support specialist program

Full bill page: steps, fiscal note and sponsors · Chief sponsor Steve Eliason