(a) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated for grants by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to the District of Columbia comprehensive mental health system, $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1988, $24,000,000 for fiscal year 1989, $18,000,000 for fiscal year 1990, and $12,000,000 for fiscal year 1991.

(b) Federal agencies; payments to District of costs for treatment of certain patients; responsibility of U.S. for service costs

Terms Used In 24 USC 225g

  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See 1 USC 8
  • Liabilities: The aggregate of all debts and other legal obligations of a particular person or legal entity.
  • Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
  • Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
  • Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.

(1) Beginning on October 1, 1987, and in each subsequent fiscal year, the appropriate Federal agency is directed to pay the District of Columbia the full costs for the provision of mental health diagnostic and treatment services for the following types of patients:

(A) Any individual referred to the system pursuant to a Federal statute or by a responsible Federal agency.

(B) Any individual referred to the system for emergency detention or involuntary commitment after being taken into custody (i) as a direct result of the individual’s action or threat of action against a Federal official, (ii) as a direct result of the individual’s action or threat of action on the grounds of the White House or of the Capitol, or (iii) under chapter 9 of title 21 of the District of Columbia Code.

(C) Any individual referred to the system as a result of a criminal proceeding in a Federal court (including an individual admitted for treatment, observation, and diagnosis and an individual found incompetent to stand trial or found not guilty by reason of insanity). The preceding provisions of this paragraph apply to any individual referred to the system (or to Saint Elizabeths Hospital) before or after November 8, 1984.


(2) The responsibility of the United States for the cost of services for individuals described in paragraph (1) shall not affect the treatment responsibilities to the District of Columbia under the Interstate Compact on Mental Health.

(c) Financial responsibility during coordination period

(1) During the service coordination and the financial transition periods, the District of Columbia shall gradually assume a greater share of the financial responsibility for the provision of mental health services provided by the system to individuals not described in subsection (b).

(2) Omitted

(d) Shared responsibility for capital improvements

Subject to section 225b(f)(2) of this title, capital improvements to facilities at Saint Elizabeths Hospital authorized during the service coordination period shall be the shared responsibility of the District and the Federal Government in accordance with Public Law 83-472.

(e) Unassigned liabilities; sole responsibility of Federal Government

Pursuant to the financial audit under section 225b(f) of this title, any unassigned liabilities of the Hospital shall be assumed by and shall be the sole responsibility of the Federal Government.

(f) Audit to determine liability of Federal Government for accrued annual leave balances; authorization of appropriations

(1) After the service coordination period, the Secretary shall conduct an audit, under generally accepted accounting procedures, to identify the liability of the Federal Government for accrued annual leave balances for those employees assumed by the District under the system implementation plan.

(2) There is authorized to be appropriated for payment by the Federal Government to the District an amount equal to the liability identified by such audit.

(g) Authority; District; collection of costs for mental health services

Nothing in this subchapter shall affect the authority of the District of Columbia under any other statute to collect costs billed by the District of Columbia for mental health services, except that payment for the same costs may not be collected from more than one party.

(h) Responsibility of United States for certain claims

The Government of the United States shall be solely responsible for—

(1) all claims and causes of action against Saint Elizabeths Hospital that accrue before October 1, 1987, regardless of the date on which legal proceedings asserting such claims were or may be filed, except that the United States shall, in the case of any tort claim, only be responsible for any such claim against the United States that accrues before October 1, 1987, and the United States shall not compromise or settle any claim resulting in District liability without the consent of the District, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; and

(2) all claims that result in a judgment or award against Saint Elizabeths Hospital before October 1, 1987.