Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 28:811

  • Behavioral health: is a term used to refer to both mental health and substance use. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 28:2
  • Patient: means any person detained and taken care of as a person who has a mental illness or person who is suffering from a substance-related or addictive disorder. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 28:2
  • person: includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 1:10
  • Treatment: means an active effort to accomplish an improvement in the mental condition or behavior of a patient or to prevent deterioration in his condition or behavior. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 28:2

            A. The Louisiana suicide prevention plan, referred to in this Section as the “state suicide prevention plan”, is hereby created as an initiative of the office of behavioral health, which shall lead the development of and publish the plan. The goal and purpose of the state suicide prevention plan is to reduce the incidence of suicide in Louisiana through system-level implementation of the plan in criminal justice and health systems statewide, including mental health and behavioral health systems.

            B.(1) The office of behavioral health shall collaborate with criminal justice and health systems, including mental health and behavioral health systems, primary care providers, physical and mental health clinics in educational institutions, colleges and universities, community mental health centers, advocacy groups, emergency medical services professionals, public and private insurers, hospital chaplains, and faith-based organizations to develop and implement all of the following:

            (a) A plan to improve training on means by which to identify a person with trends, attributes, and indicators of suicidal thoughts and behavior across criminal justice and health systems.

            (b) A plan to improve training on the provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (42 U.S.C. § 1320d et seq.) and regulations issued pursuant thereto and on other applicable federal and state laws and regulations concerning privacy of health information.

            (c) Professional development resources and training opportunities regarding indicators of suicidal thoughts and behavior, risk assessment, treatment, and management.

            (2) The office of behavioral health shall include as elements within the state suicide prevention plan the items required by Paragraph (1) of this Subsection.

            C. As a demonstration of commitment to patient safety, criminal justice and health systems, including mental and behavioral health systems, primary care providers, and hospitals throughout the state are encouraged to contribute to and implement the state suicide prevention plan.

            D.(1) The office of behavioral health shall publish the state suicide prevention plan on or before December 31, 2020.

            (2) At the time of publication of the state suicide prevention plan, the office of behavioral health shall transmit a summary of the plan in a report to the governor and to the legislature.

            Acts 2018, No. 450, §1.